TY - JOUR
T1 - Sexual vs. Nonsexual Currently Most Upsetting Trauma
T2 - A Fresh Look at Attenuation of Sexual Response, Alcohol Intoxication, and Post-Traumatic Stress
AU - Bird, Elizabeth R.
AU - Seehuus, Martin
AU - Heiman, Julia R.
AU - Davis, Kelly Cue
AU - Norris, Jeanette
AU - George, William H.
N1 - Funding Information:
Data collection and manuscript preparation were supported by grants from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (T32 AA007455, PI: M. Larimer, PhD; RO1 AA13565 and 2R01 AA016281, PI: W. H. George, PhD). We acknowledge and are grateful to Kelly Kajumulo, MPH, for her extensive contributions to data collection and her additional edits to the Method section.
Publisher Copyright:
©, Copyright © The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.
PY - 2018/9/2
Y1 - 2018/9/2
N2 - This study examined the dependence of sexual response (vaginal pulse amplitude [VPA] and subjective sexual arousal) on alcohol intoxication (.10% breath alcohol concentration [BrAC] versus no alcohol) and the nature of a woman’s currently most upsetting traumatic event (C-MUTE), whether it was sexual (e.g., rape) or nonsexual (e.g., combat). Self-reported sexual outcomes were also compared by C-MUTE type. A total of 117 women completed background measures and either drank alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages. They were shown erotic films and their VPA was assessed. A two (sexual versus nonsexual C-MUTE) by two (.10% BrAC versus no alcohol) analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that, controlling for post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, women with a sexual C-MUTE showed lower percent VPA change than women with a nonsexual C-MUTE. No significant effects were found for subjective sexual arousal. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that women with a sexual C-MUTE reported more frequent anxiety and inhibition during partnered sex and more frequent lack of vaginal lubrication versus women with a nonsexual C-MUTE. There was no significant interaction between C-MUTE and alcohol intoxication. Whether a woman is currently upset by past sexual victimization may influence current sexual difficulties. Attenuated VPA may be attributable to the sexual nature of a C-MUTE as opposed to general trauma exposure.
AB - This study examined the dependence of sexual response (vaginal pulse amplitude [VPA] and subjective sexual arousal) on alcohol intoxication (.10% breath alcohol concentration [BrAC] versus no alcohol) and the nature of a woman’s currently most upsetting traumatic event (C-MUTE), whether it was sexual (e.g., rape) or nonsexual (e.g., combat). Self-reported sexual outcomes were also compared by C-MUTE type. A total of 117 women completed background measures and either drank alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages. They were shown erotic films and their VPA was assessed. A two (sexual versus nonsexual C-MUTE) by two (.10% BrAC versus no alcohol) analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that, controlling for post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, women with a sexual C-MUTE showed lower percent VPA change than women with a nonsexual C-MUTE. No significant effects were found for subjective sexual arousal. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that women with a sexual C-MUTE reported more frequent anxiety and inhibition during partnered sex and more frequent lack of vaginal lubrication versus women with a nonsexual C-MUTE. There was no significant interaction between C-MUTE and alcohol intoxication. Whether a woman is currently upset by past sexual victimization may influence current sexual difficulties. Attenuated VPA may be attributable to the sexual nature of a C-MUTE as opposed to general trauma exposure.
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U2 - 10.1080/00224499.2017.1380159
DO - 10.1080/00224499.2017.1380159
M3 - Article
C2 - 29023137
AN - SCOPUS:85031397353
SN - 0022-4499
VL - 55
SP - 915
EP - 926
JO - Journal of Sex Research
JF - Journal of Sex Research
IS - 7
ER -