You have full access to this open access article. Sexuality has become an area of social competence in which individuals strive to be recognized as sexually competent performers. However, a large proportion of young women experience reduced sexual desire. In this study, both quantitative and qualitative methods were applied. Using data from a questionnaire, the aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, lack of sexual interest and desire among young women in Norway.
Further, with the help of in-depth interviews, we investigated how young women with reduced sexual desire experience living with their desire problems and what they experience as the cause of their problems. The sample in the quantitative study consisted of Norwegian women between the ages of 18 and 29 years.
ANOVA was employed to explore differences in scores on psychological factors and relational factors, as well as between participants who experienced a lack of sexual interest and desire, and those who did not. The results indicate a high prevalence of lack of sexual interest and desire among women The sample in the qualitative study consisted of ten Norwegian women with reduced sexual desire between the ages of 18 and 29 years.
Sex is a universally experienced and desired human activity Brotto, However, many women experience sexual problems through their lifetime Mitchell et al. Studies have found reduced sexual interest and desire to be the most common sexual problem reported among women, and it increases with age Graham et al. The limited research on reduced sexual interest and desire in younger women suggests that it is more widespread than what is commonly believed Hendrickx et al.
In the following section, we review the known predictors of reduced sexual interest and desire among women, with particular emphasis on young adult women, since most of the previous studies have largely focused on a varied age range from young to older women. Furthermore, sexual offences may affect sexual desire Garneau-Fournier et al. For instance, a negative body image has been found to be associated with reduced sexual desire in young women Seal et al.
