ABSTRACT

Sexual anxiety can activate the stress response cycle during sex, compromising a woman’s ability to experience sexual pleasure. Black women face additional cultural and contextual factors, such as hypersexualization, partner scarcity, and higher rates of sexual trauma that may increase the magnitude, frequency, and odds of experiencing sexual anxiety. However, limited research has explored this phenomenon among Black women. Thus, we sought to qualitatively explore how N = 25 premenopausal Black women living in the southern United States make meaning of experiences with sexual anxiety. We analyzed the interview data using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Three components of the phenomenon of sexual anxiety were gleaned: 1) causes of sexual anxiety, 2) characteristics of sexual anxiety, and 3) coping strategies. Each component included three to six elements of meaning making. For these Black women, causes of sexual anxiety included fears of sexual pain, partner unfamiliarity, previous traumas, mental health concerns, and intersecting socio-structural factors. Characteristics of sexual anxiety included mental, somatic, and emotional elements. Coping strategies included having a reassuring and supportive sex partner, supporting themselves with affirmations and mindfulness, attending therapy, and using substances. Through reflection about their perceived causes of, experienced characteristics of, and intentional coping with sexual anxiety, meanings were co-constructed through an intersectional frame. Implications for intersectionality-informed interventions and suggestions for mental health professionals and partners are discussed.

 抽象的

性焦虑会激活性行为过程中的压力反应周期，从而损害女性体验性快感的能力。黑人女性面临着额外的文化和背景因素，例如性欲过度、伴侣稀缺和性创伤发生率较高，这些因素可能会增加经历性焦虑的程度、频率和几率。然而，对黑人女性中这一现象的研究有限。因此，我们试图定性探索生活在美国南部的 N = 25 名绝经前黑人女性如何理解性焦虑经历的意义。我们使用解释现象学方法分析了访谈数据。收集了性焦虑现象的三个组成部分：1）性焦虑的原因，2）性焦虑的特征，3）应对策略。每个组成部分都包含三到六个意义创造要素。对于这些黑人女性来说，性焦虑的原因包括对性疼痛的恐惧、伴侣不熟悉、以前的创伤、心理健康问题和交叉的社会结构因素。性焦虑的特征包括精神、躯体和情感因素。应对策略包括拥有一个令人安心和支持的性伴侣、用肯定和正念来支持自己、接受治疗和使用药物。通过反思他们对性焦虑的感知原因、经历的特征以及有意的应对，意义是通过交叉框架共同构建的。讨论了交叉知情干预措施的影响以及对心理健康专业人员和合作伙伴的建议。