Differences between pre- and postmenopausal women in cues for sexual desire.
BACKGROUND
Recently, McCall and Meston presented an assessment tool for empirically categorizing stimuli associated with sexual desire in women. Significant differences in cues resulting in sexual desire were found between women with and without hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).


OBJECTIVE
The present study examined differences in cues resulting in sexual desire between pre- and postmenopausal women with and without sexual desire concerns using the Cues for Sexual Desire Scale (CSDS) which assesses four distinct aspects of desire motivators: (i) Love/Emotional Bonding Cues; (ii) Erotic/Explicit Cues; (iii) Visual/Proximity Cues; and (iv) Implicit/Romantic Cues.


METHODS
The Female Sexual Function Index and the CSDS.


METHODS
Women included premenopausal women with no sexual concerns (N = 35), premenopausal women with low sexual desire (N = 30), postmenopausal women with no sexual concerns (N = 21), and postmenopausal women with low sexual desire (N = 39).


RESULTS
Consistent with prior findings, women with low sexual desire reported significantly less Love/Emotional Bonding Cues, Erotic/Explicit Cues, Implicit/Romantic Cues, and had significantly lower CSDS total scores as compared with women with no sexual difficulties. Postmenopausal women were more likely to report cues associated with Love/Emotional Bonding as compared with premenopausal women.


CONCLUSIONS
There were significant differences between women with and without sexual desire concerns in Love/Emotional Bonding Cues, Erotic/Explicit Cues, Implicit/Romantic Cues, and CSDS total scores. There were no significant differences between pre- and postmenopausal women in Erotic/Explicit Cues, Visual/Proximity Cues, or Implicit/Romantic Cues. Interestingly, postmenopausal women with and without HSDD endorsed more Love/Emotional Bonding Cues resulting in feelings of sexual desire as compared with premenopausal women.
McCall
Katie
K
Both Clinical Psychology & University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. kmccall@mail.utexas.edu
Meston
Cindy
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001143:Arousal; D003463:Cues; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health