title: The effects of state and trait self-focused attention on sexual arousal in sexually functional and dysfunctional women.
abstract: This study examined the effects of state self-focused attention on sexual arousal and trait self-consciousness on sexual arousal and function in sexually functional (n=16) and dysfunctional (n=16) women. Self-focused attention was induced using a 50% reflectant television screen in one of two counterbalanced sessions during which self-report and physiological sexual responses to erotic films were measured. Self-focused attention significantly decreased vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) responses among sexually functional but not dysfunctional women, and substantially decreased correlations between self-report and VPA measures of sexual arousal. Self-focused attention did not significantly impact subjective sexual arousal in sexually functional or dysfunctional women. Trait private self-consciousness was positively related to sexual desire, orgasm, compatibility, contentment and sexual satisfaction. Public self-consciousness was correlated with sexual pain. The findings are discussed in terms of Masters and Johnson's [Masters, W. H. & Johnson, V. E. (1970). Human sexual inadequacy. Boston: Little, Brown) concepts of "spectatoring" and "sensate focus."
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX 78712, USA. meston@psy.utexas.edu
authors.forename: Cindy M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Meston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*