A new study published in The Journal of Sex Research sheds light on attitudes toward women’s masturbation within romantic relationships and its implications for sexual satisfaction. Researchers found that both women and their partners generally held positive views about women’s masturbation. For women, these positive attitudes were linked to higher sexual satisfaction for both themselves and their partners.
“Masturbation is a sexual activity that brings pleasure and can help women with orgasm difficulties. However, a stigma still exists around women’s masturbation, especially for those in relationships,” explained study author Dilan Kılıç Onar. “Although there has been more research on women’s masturbation recently, it is still not well-studied in the context of relationships. Traditional sexual norms that prioritize penetrative sex between partners often overshadow the importance of solo sexual activities.”
“Self-pleasure through masturbation is often seen as a normal, enjoyable, and healthy sexual activity. However, if it clashes with one’s and/or one’s sexual partner’s values (or society’s standards), it might bring feelings of guilt, shame, confusion, or conflict. These negative emotions can be even stronger in relationships due to the common beliefs that only single people masturbate and masturbation being acceptable only for boys and men.”
“How men in relationships with women view and feel about women’s solo masturbation is understudied but may influence women’s experiences and disclosure regarding their masturbation experience,” Kılıç Onar said. “Briefly, these are the main reasons why I wanted to explore the similarities and differences between partners’ attitudes about women’s solo masturbation and associations between each partner’s attitudes and sexual satisfaction.”
For their study, the researchers recruited 104 couples aged 18 to 65 years through social media and the online platform Prolific. Most participants were in relationships lasting between one to five years, predominantly White, and highly educated. Both partners in each couple completed a comprehensive online survey independently, ensuring privacy and minimizing potential bias in responses.
In addition to collecting demographic information, the survey included several key measures. First, participants completed the Revised Attitudes Toward Women’s Solo Masturbation Inventory (R-AWMI), which consisted of 27 items assessing beliefs and attitudes toward women’s solo masturbation. Responses were rated on a scale from 1 (not at all true) to 5 (extremely true), with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes. Additionally, the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale – Short Form (NSSS-S) was used to measure sexual satisfaction. This scale includes items related to self-related and partner-related sexual satisfaction, with higher scores denoting greater satisfaction.
To analyze the data, the researchers employed the Actor Partner Interdependence Model (APIM), a statistical approach that examines how each partner’s attitudes affect their own and their partner’s sexual satisfaction. This model accounts for the interdependence between partners, recognizing that one partner’s experiences and attitudes can influence the other’s.
The researchers found that both women and their partners reported similar and predominantly positive attitudes toward women’s solo masturbation. The average scores for attitudes toward women’s masturbation did not significantly differ between women and their partners, suggesting a shared perspective within couples.
“Most women and their partners (44%) in our study reported similar and positive attitudes about women’s solo masturbation,” Kılıç Onar told PsyPost. “Further, in 28% of the couples included in our study, the male partner reported more positive attitudes toward women’s solo masturbation compared to the female partner.
“We find these findings noteworthy because a previous systematic review we conducted earlier highlighted some changes in women’s masturbation habits due to partner-related concerns when in relationships. The review showed that some women report shame and/or concerns regarding their partners’ reactions to, or perceptions of, women’s masturbation and a tendency to hide their solo self-pleasure experiences from their partner. However, our new findings suggest that by breaking down stigmas and promoting open communication about self-pleasure, couples can enjoy more fulfilling and satisfying sexual experiences.”
One of the key findings was the association between women’s positive attitudes toward their own masturbation and higher sexual satisfaction for both themselves and their partners. Women who had more favorable views on their solo masturbation reported greater sexual satisfaction, which in turn was associated with higher sexual satisfaction in their partners. This highlights the importance of women’s self-perception and acceptance of their own sexual behaviors in enhancing the overall sexual satisfaction within the relationship.
“Everyone deserves pleasure, whether alone or with a partner,” Kılıç Onar said. “Masturbation is not just a sexual activity for singles; it is actually very common among people in relationships. Incorporating women’s self-pleasure into the sexual narrative of relationships holds significant potential for enhancing sexual pleasure and satisfaction for both women and their partners.”
“Challenging the stigma and common misbeliefs around female masturbation is crucial because it plays an important role in sexual health. By fostering positive attitudes toward sexual self-care, we can build a more inclusive and sex-positive culture. The key to achieving this may lie in openly discussing pleasure and normalizing masturbation for everyone, in every context regardless of relationship status.”
“In a nutshell, embracing women’s self-pleasure is not only helping to break down old stigmas but also improving sexual satisfaction for both individuals and couples,” Kılıç Onar explained. “This approach encourages continuous exploration and adaptation within the sexual relationship, ensuring that both partners remain engaged and satisfied.”
“So, let’s continue to encourage and normalize women’s self-pleasure in relationships. Your body, your rules, your pleasure! Remember, sexual health is a crucial part of overall well-being. Let’s keep the conversation going and spread the love (and pleasure)!”
But the study, like all research, has limitations. The sample was predominantly White, well-educated, and recruited primarily through online platforms, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to more diverse populations. Additionally, the cross-sectional nature of the study means that it cannot establish causality, only associations.
Future research should aim to include more diverse and representative samples to better understand how attitudes toward women’s solo masturbation might vary across different demographic groups. Longitudinal studies would also be beneficial to explore how these attitudes and their effects on sexual satisfaction evolve over time.
“I plan to continue researching women’s sexual pleasure and couples’ sexual satisfaction, this time in Turkey as I will be starting a position as a Research and Teaching Fellow at Manisa Celal Bayar University in Turkey,” Kılıç Onar said.
The study, “(Dis)Similarities in Attitudes Between Partners About Women’s Solo Masturbation: A Dyadic Approach to Solo Masturbation and Its Associations with Sexual Satisfaction,” was authored by Dilan Kılıç, Heather L. Armstrong, and Cynthia A. Graham.
