TY - JOUR
T1 - Pursuing Pleasure Despite Pain
T2 - A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Black Women’s Responses to Sexual Pain and Coping
AU - Malone, Natalie
AU - Thorpe, Shemeka
AU - Jester, Jasmine K.
AU - Dogan, Jardin N.
AU - Stevens-Watkins, Danelle
AU - Hargons, Candice N.
N1 - Funding Information:
was provided, in part, by the Lyman T. Johnson Postdoctoral Fellowship (Dr. Shemeka Thorpe: PI).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - The current mixed-methods study is the first to explore Black women’s (N = 153) cognitive (e.g., worry about being perceived as sexually unresponsive) and emotional (e.g., sadness) responses to sexual pain based on age and relationship status, and coping strategies. Findings indicated significant differences in younger and single Black women’s cognitive and emotional responses to sexual pain compared to older and coupled Black women. Qualitative responses revealed Black women engage in several proactive coping strategies to mitigate their sexual pain, including non-penetrative activities, foreplay, tools for increasing arousal, making physical adjustments, and intimacy and sexual communication. Implications for sexual health providers are discussed.
AB - The current mixed-methods study is the first to explore Black women’s (N = 153) cognitive (e.g., worry about being perceived as sexually unresponsive) and emotional (e.g., sadness) responses to sexual pain based on age and relationship status, and coping strategies. Findings indicated significant differences in younger and single Black women’s cognitive and emotional responses to sexual pain compared to older and coupled Black women. Qualitative responses revealed Black women engage in several proactive coping strategies to mitigate their sexual pain, including non-penetrative activities, foreplay, tools for increasing arousal, making physical adjustments, and intimacy and sexual communication. Implications for sexual health providers are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1080/0092623X.2021.2012309
DO - 10.1080/0092623X.2021.2012309
M3 - Article
C2 - 34903143
AN - SCOPUS:85121554766
SN - 0092-623X
VL - 48
SP - 552
EP - 566
JO - Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
JF - Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
IS - 6
ER -