Sexual Functioning in Experienced Meditators.
Iulia Dascalu, Lori A Brotto
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy February 12, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/0092623x.2017.1405311 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 450 |
| Population | Women who completed an online survey about meditation experience, sexual function, and health |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Attitude to health Self efficacy Sexual dysfunctions, psychological Adult Middle aged Women's health Female |
| Key findings | Women who meditated scored higher than nonmeditators on sexual function and desire, but frequency and length of meditation experience were not significantly correlated with either domain. Global mental health significantly predicted greater sexual function and desire in women who meditate, suggesting the association between meditation and sexual function may operate through better overall mental health. |
Abstract
Given evidence of the benefits of mindfulness for women's sexual difficulties, we investigated the relationship between meditation experience and women's sexual function. Women (N = 450) answered online survey questions about meditation experience, sexual function and desire, interoceptive awareness, health and mood. Women who meditated scored higher than nonmeditators on measures of sexual function and desire, however there was no significant correlation between frequency/length of meditation experience and either of these domains. Global mental health was a significant predictor of both increased sexual function and desire in women who meditate. These findings suggest that, compared to women with no meditation experience, women who meditate to any extent have, on average, improved sexual function associated with better overall mental health.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Mindfulness in Sexual Activity, Sexual Satisfaction and Erotic Fantasies in a Non-Clinical Sample Preprints.org January 15, 2021
- Orgasmic Learning as a Treatment Framework for Female Orgasmic Disorder/Difficulty: A Review Using Perelman’s Sexual Tipping Point® Model Current Sexual Health Reports October 7, 2026
Cites 9
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Coherence between emotional experience and physiology: Does body awareness training have an impact? Emotion 2010
- Meditation Experience Predicts Introspective Accuracy PLoS One September 25, 2012
and 4 more in the library