Effects of alcohol intoxication and instructional set on women's sexual arousal vary based on sexual abuse history.
The influence of alcohol intoxication and arousal instructional set on psychophysiological measures of sexual responding was examined in a non-clinical sample of sexually abused (SA) and non-sexually abused (NSA) women. Participants (n=42) were randomly assigned to consume alcoholic (target blood alcohol level = .08%) or non-alcoholic drinks and to receive instructions to maximize or suppress their sexual response to erotic films. Measures included vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA), self-reported sexual arousal, and mood. SA classification interacted with instruction condition such that NSA women's VPA scores were higher under maximize than suppress instructions, but this did not occur for SA women. SA classification interacted with alcohol such that, compared to their sober counterparts, intoxicated NSA women reported less sexual arousal, whereas intoxicated SA women reported more sexual arousal than their sober counterparts. Moreover, positive mood ratings were highest among intoxicated SA women. Findings indicate that alcohol may affect women differently based on SA history and imply that SA history may be associated with differences in response to subsequent sexual situations.
Schacht
Rebecca L
RL
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. rschacht@u.washington.edu
George
William H
WH
Heiman
Julia R
JR
Davis
Kelly Cue
KC
Norris
Jeanette
J
Stoner
Susan A
SA
Kajumulo
Kelly F
KF
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004882:Erotica; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000187:drug effects*; D010991:Plethysmography; D011594:Psychometrics; D012742:Sex Offenses; D014621:Vagina / Q000098:blood supply; D016387:Women's Health
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol