Women and sex at midlife: Desire, dysfunction, and diversity

Women Over Fifty: Psychological Perspectives

Volumn , Issue , 2007, Pages 26-52

  McHugh, Maureen C ^a  

^a INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84892352392     PISSN: None     EISSN: None     Source Type: Book    
DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-46341-4_3     Document Type: Chapter

References (92)

1. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
2. Anderson, B.L., and LeGrand, J. (1991). Body image for women: Conceptualization, assessment, and a test of its importance to sexual dysfunction and medical illness. Journal of Sex Research, 28, 457-477.
3. Avis, N.E., Stellato, R., Crawford, S., and Johannes, C. (1995). Howdoes menopause impact sexual activity? Menopause, 2, 245.
4. Bachmann, G., Leiblum, S., and Grill, J. (1989). Brief sexual inquiry in gynecologic practice. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 73, 425-427.
5. Bancroft, J., Loftus, J., and Long, J.S. (2003). Distress about sex: A national survey of women in heterosexual relationships. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 193-209.
6. Banister, E.M. (1999). Women's midlife experience of their changing bodies. Qualitative Health Research, 9, 520-537.
7. Barbach, L. (1975). For Yourself: The Fulfillment of Female Sexuality. New York: Anchor Books.
8. Basson, R. (2001). Human sex response cycles. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 27, 33-43.
9. Basson, R. (2002). Women's sexual desire: Disordered or misunderstood. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 28(Suppl), 17-28.
10. Bernard, J. (1981). The Female World. New York: Free Press.
11. Blumstein, P., and Schwartz, P. (1983). American Couples. New York: Morrow.
12. Boston Women's Health Book Collective. (1976). Our Bodies, Ourselves. Boston: Touchstone.
13. Boston Women's Health Book Collective. (2005). Our Bodies, Ourselves. Boston: Touchstone.
14. Butler, R.N., and Lewis, M.I. (1976). Sex After Sixty. New York: Harper & Row.
15. Byers, E.S. (2001). Evidence for the importance of relationship satisfaction for women's sexual functioning. In E. Kaschak and L. Tiefer (Eds.), A New View of Women's Sexual Problems (pp. 23-26). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
16. Candib, L.M. (2001). "A new view of women's sexual problems": A family physician's response. In E. Kaschak and L. Tiefer (Eds.), A New View of Women's Sexual Problems (pp. 9-15). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
17. Cole, E. (1988). Sex at menopause: Each in her own way. Women & Therapy, 7(2/3), 159-168.
18. Cole, E. and Rothblum, E.D. (1991). Lesbian sex at menopause: As good as or better than ever. In B. Sang, J. Warshaw, and A. Smith (Eds.), Lesbians at Midlife: The Creative Transition (pp. 184-193). San Francisco, CA: Spinsters Ink.
19. Conway-Turner, K. (1992). Sex, intimacy, and self-esteem: The case of the African American older woman. Women & Aging, 4, 91-104.
20. Cutler, W.B., Garcia, C.R., and McCoy, N. (1987). Perimenopausal sexuality. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16, 225-234.
21. Daniluk, J.C. (1998).Women's Sexuality Across the Lifespan: Challenging Myths, Creating Meanings. New York: Guilford.
22. Dennerstein, L., Alexander, J.L., and Kotz, K. (2003). The menopause and sexual functioning: A review of the population-based studies. Annual Review of Sex Research, 14, 64-82.
23. Dennerstein, L., Dudley, E., and Burger, H. (2001). Are changes in sexual functioning during midlife due to aging or menopause? Fertility & Sterility, 76, 456-460.
24. Dennerstein, L. Dudley, E. Hopper, J., and Burger, H. (1997). Sexuality, hormones and the menopausal transition. Maturitas, 26, 83-93.
25. Dennerstein, L., Lehert, P., Burger, H., and Dudley, E. (1999). Factors affecting sexual functioning of women in the midlife years. Climateric, 2, 254-262.
26. Diokno, A.C., Brown, M.B., and Rugula-Herzog, A. (1990). Sexual function in the elderly. Archives of Internal Medicine, 150, 197-200.
27. Ellis, B.J., and Symons, D. (1990). Sex differences in sexual fantasy: An evolutionary psychological approach. Journal of Sex Research, 27, 527-555.
28. Ellison, C.R. (2001). A research inquiry into some American women's sexual concerns and problems. In E. Kaschak and L. Tiefer (Eds.), A New View of Women's Sexual Problems (pp. 147-160). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
29. Faith, M.S., and Schare, M.L. (1993). The role of body image in sexually avoidant behavior. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 22, 345-356.
30. Fonatana, B. (1994). Plastic sex and the sociologist: A comment on "The transformation of intimacy" by Anthony Giddens. Economy & Society, 73, 374-384.
31. Fooken, L. (1994). Sexuality in later years: The impact of health and body image in a sample of older women. Patient Education and Counseling, 23, 227-233.
32. Foucault, M. (1978). The History of Sexuality (Part 1): An Introduction. NewYork: Random House.
33. Frank, E., Anderson, C., and Rubinstein, D. (1978). Frequency of sexual dysfunction in "normal" couples. New England Journal of Medicine, 229, 111-115.
34. Geison, C.B. (1989). Aging and attractiveness: Marriage makes a difference. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 29(2), 83-94.
35. George, L.K., andWeiler, S.J. (1981). Sexuality in middle and late life. Archives of General Psychiatry, 38, 919-923.
36. Hallstrom, T. (1977). Sexuality in the climacteric. Clinical Obstetrical Gynecology, 4, 227- 239.
37. Hallstrom, T., and Samuelson, S. (1990). Changes in women's sexual desire in middle life: The longitudinal study of women in Gotenborg. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 259-268.
38. Harris, G. (2004, February 28). Pfizer gives up trying to prove Viagra works for women. New York Times, pp. B1, B2.
39. Irvine, J. (1990). Disorders of Desire: Sex and Gender in Modern American Sexology. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
40. Kaschak, E., and Tiefer, L. (Eds.). (2001). A New View of Women's Sexual Problems. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
41. Kinsey, A.C., Pomeroy, W.B., and Martin, C.E. (1953). Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. Philadelphia: Saunders.
42. Kliger, L., and Nedelman, D. (2005, July). Redefining "Sexy": Sexual Desire and Sexual Self-esteem in Women Beyond 50. Paper presented at the New View Conference, Montreal, Canada.
43. Kliger, L., and Nedelman, D. (2006). Still Sexy after all these Years? The 9 Unspoken Truths about Women's Desire. New York: Berkeley.
44. Koch, P.B. (1995). Exploring our Sexuality: An Interactive Text.Dubuque, IA:Kendall/Hunt.
45. Koch, P.B. (1997). Feminism and sexuality in the United States. In R.T. Francoeur (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Sexuality (Vol. 3, pp. 1375-1382). New York: Continuum.
46. Koch, P.B., Mansfield, P.K., Thurau, D., and Carey, M. (2005). "Feeling frumpy": The relationship between body image and sexual response changes in mid life women. Journal of Sex Research, 42, 215-222.
47. Koch, P.B., Voda, A., and Mansfield, P.K. (1995). Predictors of sexual response changes in heterosexual midlife women. Health Values, 19(1), 10-21.
48. Laumann, E.O., Paik, A., and Rosen, R.C. (1999). Sexual dysfunction in the United States: Prevalence and predictors. Journal of the American Medical Association, 28, 537- 544.
49. Laws, J.L. (1980). Female sexuality through the life span. In P.B. Baltes and O.G. Brim, Jr. (Eds.), Life Span Development and Behavior (Vol. 3, pp. 207-252). New York: Academic Press.
50. Leiblum, S.R. (1990). Sexuality and the midlife woman. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 14, 495-508.
51. Leiblum, S.R., and Perrin, L. (Eds.). (1980). Principles and Practice of Sex Therapy. New York: Guilford.
52. Loe,M.(2004). Sex and the seniorwoman: Pleasure and danger in theViagra era. Sexualities, 7, 303-326.
53. Mansfield, P.K., Koch, P.B., and Voda, A.M. (1998). Qualities midlife women desire in their sexual relationships and their changing sexual response. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 22, 285-303.
54. Mansfield, P.K., Koch, P.B., and Voda, A.M. (2000). Midlife women's attributions for their sexual response changes. Health Care for Women International, 31, 543- 559.
55. Mansfield, P.K., Voda, A.M., and Koch, P.B. (1995). Predictors of sexual response changes in heterosexual midlife women. Health Values, 19(1), 10-20.
56. Marrow, J. (1997). Changing Positions: Women Speak Out on Sex and Desire. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media.
57. Martin, K.A. (1996). Puberty, Sexuality, and the Self: Girls and Boys at Adolescence. New York: Routledge.
58. Masters,W.H., and Johnson, V.E. (1966). Human Sexual Response. Boston: Little, Brown.
59. McCoy, N., Cutler,W.B., and Davidson, J.M. (1985). Relationships among sexual behavior, hot flashes, and hormone levels in peri-menopausal women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 14, 381-390.
60. McCoy, N.L., and Davidson, J.M. (1985). A longitudinal study of the effects of menopause on sexuality. Maturitas, 7, 203-210.
61. McHugh, M.C. (in press). What do women want? A New View of women's sexual problems. Sex Roles.
62. Miller, J.B. (1976). Toward a New Psychology of Women. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
63. Morokoff, P.J. (1988). Sexuality in peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 12, 489-511.
64. Moynihan, R. (2001). The making of a disease: Female sexual dysfunction. British Medical Journal, 326, 45-57.
65. Moynihan, R. (2004). Fix for low sex drive puts reporters in a bad patch. British Medical Journal, 329, 1294.
66. Myers, L.S. (1995). Methodological review and meta-analysis of sexuality and menopause research. Neuroscience and Bio-behavioral Reviews, 19, 331-314.
67. Ogden, G. (1999). Women Who Love Sex: An Inquiry into the Expanding Spirit of Women's Erotic Experience (rev. ed.). Cambridge, MA: Womanspirit Press.
68. Osborn, M., Hawton, K., and Gath, D. (1988). Sexual dysfunction among middle-aged women in the community. British Medical Journal, 296, 959-962.
69. Peplau, L.A., and Gordon, S.L. (1985). Women and men in love: Gender differences in close heterosexual relationships. In V.E. O'Leary, R.K. Unger, and B.S. Walston (Eds.), Women, Gender, and Social Psychology (pp. 257-291). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
70. Pfeiffer, E., Verwoerdt, A., and Davis, G. (1972). Sexual behavior in middle life. American Journal of Psychiatry, 128, 1262-1267.
71. Potts, A., Gavey, N., Grace, V.M., and Vares, T. (2003) The downside of Viagra: Women's experiences and concerns. Sociology of Health and Illness, 25, 697-719.
72. Richgels, P.B. (1992). Hypoactive sexual desire in hetero sexual women : A feminist analysis. Women & Therapy, 12(1/2), 123-135.
73. Riley, A., and Riley, E. (2000). Behavioral and clinical findings in couples where the man presents with erectile disorder: A retrospective study. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 54, 220-224.
74. Shah, S. (2001). The orgasm industry. Progressive, 65, 29.
75. Sheehy, G. (2006). Sex and the Seasoned Woman: Pursuing the Passionate Life. New York: Random House.
76. Schwartz, P., and Rutter,V. (2000). The Gender of Sexuality. NewYork: Rowan&Littlefield.
77. Taylor, D., and Sumrall, A.C. (1993). The Time of Our Lives: Women Write on Sex after 40. Freedom, CA: Crossing Press.
78. Tiefer, L. (2001a). A new view of women's sexual problems: Why new? Why now? Journal of Sexual Research, 38, 89-96.
79. Tiefer, L. (2001b). Arriving at a "new view" of women's sexual problems: Background, theory, and activism. In E. Kaschak and L. Tiefer (Eds.), A New View of Women's Sexual Problems (pp. 63-90). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
80. Tiefer, L. (1995). Sex Is not a Natural Act and Other Essays. Boulder, CO: West view Press.
81. Tiggerman, M., and Lynch, J.E. (2002). Body image across the life span in adult women: The role of objectification. Developmental Psychology, 37, 243-253.
82. Tolman, D.L. (2001). Echoes of sexual objectification: Listening for one girl's erotic voice. In D.L. Tolman and M. Brydon-Miller (Eds.), From Subjects to Subjectivities: A Handbook of Interpretive and Participatory Methods (pp. 130-144). New York: New York University Press.
83. Tolman, D.L. (2002). Female adolescent sexuality: An argument for a developmental perspective on the new view of sexual problems. In E. Kaschak and L. Tiefer (Eds.), A New View of Women's Sexual Problems (pp. 195-210). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
84. Trafford, A. (1995, May 16). What the pill did. Washington Post. p. 26.
85. Traupmann, J., Eckles, E., and Hatfield, E. (1982). Intimacy in older women's lives. Gerontologist, 22, 493-498.
86. Vance, C.S. (1984). Pleasure and danger: Toward a politics of sexuality. In C.S. Vance (Ed.), Pleasure and Danger: Exploring Female Sexuality (pp. 1-27). Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
87. Voda, A.M., and George, T. (1986). Menopause. In H.H. Wesley, J.J. Fitzpatrick, and R.L.
88. Taunton (Eds.), Annual Review of Nursing Research (pp. 55-75). New York: Springer.
89. Williams, S.P. (2001). Reaching the hard to reach: Implications of the new view of women's sexual problems. In E. Kaschak and L. Tiefer (Eds.), A New View of Women's Sexual Problems (pp. 39-42). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
90. Winterich, J.A. (2003). Sex, menopause, and culture: Sexual orientation and the meaning of menopause for women's sex lives. Gender & Society, 17, 627-642.
91. Wood, J.M., Mansfield, P.K., and Koch, P. (in press). Negotiating sexual agency: Postmenopausal women's meaning and experiences of sexual desire. Qualitative Health Research.
92. Working Group on Women's Sexual Problems. (n.d.). The "New View" Manifesto. Retreived May 10, 2004 from the Female Sexual Dysfucntion-Alert website: http//www.fsdalert.org/manifesto.html.