Women’s attitudes toward masturbation predict key outcomes

A new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that young women who feel empowered and satisfied during masturbation tend to report better sexual function and more positive perceptions of their own genitals. In contrast, those who experience shame or guilt during masturbation show lower levels of sexual desire, satisfaction, and genital self-image.

The authors of the new study sought to better understand the emotional and psychological factors linked to female masturbation and how these factors might relate to broader aspects of sexual well-being. Cultural shifts have encouraged women to explore their own bodies, yet masturbation remains a sensitive topic.

Past research has pointed to potential benefits of masturbation, such as increased self-esteem, better sexual responsiveness, and improved body image. However, few studies have focused specifically on how emotional reactions to masturbation relate to sexual function and genital self-image, particularly among young women.

To address this gap, the researchers surveyed female undergraduate students in Brazil. Participants were recruited through social media platforms including Instagram and WhatsApp and were eligible if they were over 18 and currently enrolled in university. A total of 113 women completed the online survey, although three were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria.

The survey took about 15 minutes to complete and consisted of several parts. It included questions about demographic information, relationship status, and medication use. It also included a detailed section on masturbation habits, such as how often participants masturbated, what techniques they used, and how they felt during the activity. Feelings like empowerment, satisfaction, guilt, and shame were rated on a 5-point scale. The researchers used two standardized tools to assess sexual health and genital self-image: the Female Sexual Function Index, which measures aspects like desire, arousal, and satisfaction, and the Female Genital Self-Image Scale, which evaluates how positively a woman views her genitals.

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About three-quarters of participants reported masturbating at least once a month, and around 10% said they did so nearly every day. The majority reported initiating masturbation between the ages of 10 and 16. Clitoral stimulation was the most common technique, and most women (over 80%) reported that they frequently or always achieved orgasm through masturbation.

One of the most consistent patterns in the results was that positive feelings during masturbation—particularly empowerment and satisfaction—were associated with better scores on both the sexual function and genital self-image scales. Women who felt powerful when masturbating tended to score higher in the domains of desire, orgasm, and satisfaction. In contrast, those who reported feeling ashamed or guilty during masturbation scored lower in these areas, suggesting that emotional experiences during self-pleasure may play a more meaningful role in sexual well-being than how often someone masturbates.

Interestingly, the frequency of masturbation was only weakly related to most aspects of sexual function. The only clear link was found in the domain of sexual desire, where women who masturbated daily or more reported higher levels of desire. Other domains such as arousal and satisfaction did not show strong associations with how frequently women masturbated. This finding supports the idea that frequency alone may not determine sexual health; rather, the context and emotional meaning of the activity may be more important.

The study also looked at other factors that might be related to sexual well-being. Being in a stable relationship was associated with higher scores on the sexual function index, compared to being single or in a casual relationship. This supports previous research suggesting that stable partnerships may offer emotional security and sexual fulfillment, which in turn contribute to better sexual functioning.

One notable finding was the link between the use of psychiatric medications and lower sexual function. About 20% of the participants reported using medications for mental health, and these women tended to score lower on the sexual function index. This is consistent with prior research indicating that many psychiatric drugs, especially antidepressants, can have side effects that interfere with sexual desire and responsiveness.

The study also explored the use of sex toys, particularly vibrators. While vibrators were commonly used among women who masturbated daily, their use was associated with lower reported sexual satisfaction. The authors suggest this may not reflect the effects of vibrators themselves, but rather that women who use them more frequently may be doing so to compensate for dissatisfaction in other areas of their sexual lives.

Negative feelings during masturbation were not common, but when present, they appeared to be meaningful. Around 17% of participants reported feeling shame, and 10% reported guilt. Those who felt shame had notably lower scores in desire, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction, and genital self-image. These findings echo other studies showing that shame and guilt related to sexual activity can diminish overall sexual health and satisfaction.

Motivations for masturbation varied among participants. The most frequently reported reason was to achieve sexual satisfaction when a partner was not available. Other common motivations included stress relief, pleasure, and increased sexual awareness.

A significant relationship was also found between positive genital self-image and sexual function. Women who reported more positive feelings toward their genitals tended to have higher levels of satisfaction, arousal, and orgasm. This connection between body image and sexual responsiveness highlights the psychological dimensions of sexual health.

The study has several limitations. Because it was conducted online and relied on voluntary participation, there may be a bias toward women who feel more comfortable discussing masturbation. The use of self-report measures can also lead to inaccuracies due to memory errors or social desirability. In addition, the Female Sexual Function Index is not well-suited for women who have not been sexually active in the past four weeks, which may limit its accuracy in some cases. The cross-sectional nature of the study also means it cannot determine cause-and-effect relationships. Finally, although the sample included women of different ages, most were university students, which may not reflect the broader population.

Despite these limitations, the study offers new insights into how emotional responses to masturbation relate to sexual function and genital self-image among young women. The findings suggest that how a woman feels about masturbation may matter more than how often she does it. Promoting positive attitudes and reducing stigma surrounding female masturbation could play a role in enhancing sexual well-being.

The study, “Masturbation, sexual function, and genital self-image of undergraduate women: a cross-sectional study,” was authored by Renata Fernandes Soares, Gabriela Tomedi Leites, Tatiane Gomes de Araujo, Gabriela Paludo Pedreti, Taís Marques Cerentini, and Patricia Viana da Rosa.