Causal Attributions of Low Sexual Desire in Women Partnered with Men

• Published in: Archives of sexual behavior Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 157 - 174
• Main Authors: Son, Eun Ju, Wilkinson, Logan E., Mathi, Lydia V. K., Harris, Emily A., Ibrahim, Arlette, Beischel, Will J., Chadwick, Sara B., Miller, Jessie, van Anders, Sari M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.01.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Desire; Emotions; Female; Heterosexuality; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Intimacy; Libido; Male; Medical diagnosis; Men; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Psychology; Public Health; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual disorders; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological - psychology; Sexual orientation; Sexual Partners - psychology; Social Sciences; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women; Young Adult; Women; Attributions; Sexual orientation; DSM-5; Sexual desire
• ISSN: 0004-0002; 1573-2800; 1573-2800
• DOI: 10.1007/s10508-024-02963-w

Low sexual desire in women partnered with men has been the subject of controversy and research over the past decades, including both as construct and diagnosis. Despite discussion surrounding the causes of low desire, there is a gap in research about how women themselves understand the causes of their low desire and the potential consequences of these causal attributions. In the current study, we investigated this by asking 130 women who had low desire and were partnered with men about their attributions for low desire. Through content analysis, we identified five attribution categories: psychological/individual, relational, biological, sociocultural, and/or sexual orientation/identity/status. Many participants chose more than one category, indicating a multifaceted nature of women’s causes of low desire. We then quantitatively assessed women’s feelings of responsibility for, and emotions surrounding, their low desire. Our findings indicate that the majority—but not all—of women have negative feelings about their low desire. However, the specific emotions they experience are related to their attribution patterns. This underscores the significance of investigating various facets of women’s attributions regarding low desire in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their emotional experiences and desire overall.