Ana Carvalheira

ISPA Instituto Universitário | ISPA · William James Center for Research

Etiologia, avaliação e intervenção terapêutica na perturbação do interesse/excitação sexual em mulheres

Shortly after research regarding the sexual double standard began, mixed results were found, which may be due to inconsistent methodology and outdated definitions of the concept. Studies often use explicit or self-report measures to assess the endorsement of a sexual double standard. Some of these approaches are not only influenced by social desira...

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, different restrictive measures in terms of physical distancing and lockdowns have been introduced in most European countries, affecting all facets of social life. Currently, little is known about how partnered individuals perceive changes in their sexual life during this complex emergency. This study explored retrospective...

There has been little comparative, cross-cultural research on sexual difficulties and associated distress, and factors associated with these, among older women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate prevalence rates of sexual difficulties, distress related to these difficulties, and associated socio-demographic, relational, and health...

Even though sexual activity frequently takes place with another person, research rarely focuses on how partners influence each other’s sexual lives. This study used the sexual dyad to compare the concept of actual versus perceived discrepancy in sexual interest and explored how each is related to older partnered individuals’ sexual satisfaction. Fu...

Sexual well-being is an important part of life for many people aged 60 and older. However, older adults often face barriers to seeking and receiving help for sexual difficulties. This study used data from a probability survey (n=3820) on sexuality and ageing to examine help-seeking in 60-75 year-olds in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal. More...

Research on sex in later life has been concerned with documenting that older people continue to have sex and establishing the links between good health and sexual activity. Although sexual avoidance is common in clinical and nonclinical populations of older adults, little attention has been given to the motives for sexual avoidance. To address gaps...

Body image issues can affect all domains of sexual functioning. The aim of this study was to examine how, in a sociocultural context where physical and sexual attractiveness is equated with young and slim body ideals, appearance dissatisfaction and importance are related to sexual satisfaction in older adults in four European countries. A cross-sec...

Aims The main purpose of this study is to analyse the relationship between sexual difficulties and factors of sexual arousal, excitement, and sexual inhibition among men and women. Method A total of 1,878 participants, of whom 983 were men (52%) and 895 were women (48%), with a mean age of 35.9 years (SD = 11.9; range = 18-79), were recruited onli...

Although the importance of sexuality and physical intimacy for well-being of older adults has been recognized, the role of sexuality in successful aging (SA) has been largely neglected. Building on our previous work, here we further validated a three-dimensional model of SA and examined its associations with sexual satisfaction and change in sexual...

Background Human masturbation is and has been a very heatedly and controversially discussed topic in human sexuality. Studies investigating aspects of human masturbatory behavior and female sexual pleasure remain scarce. This lack of knowledge opens the door to further controversies and misconceptions. Aim To conduct an explorative study on female...

Background: Among older men, comparable cross-cultural investigations of sexual problems and associated distress that also include a multitude of relevant explanatory variables of these sexual problem and related distress are rare in the research literature. Aims: To investigate prevalence rates of sexual problems and associated distress among o...

The aim of this article was to describe partnered and non-partnered sexual activity and sexual satisfaction in older men and women from Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal, and to explore sociodemographic correlates of sexual activity and satisfaction. Data were collected in 2016 using postal, anonymous questionnaires in probability samples of t...

The aim of the study was to explore attitudes towards sexuality and sexual behaviour in older adults in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal. A cross-sectional survey with representative samples of the population aged 60–75 years recruited through phone registers in Norway (676 men and 594 women), Denmark (530 men and 515 women), Belgium (318 men...

What is the prevalence of using the Internet for love and sexual activities among older adults across Europe, and what predicts such use? Data were collected in probability samples among populations aged 60-75 years in Norway (N = 1271), Denmark (N = 1045), Belgium (N = 991), and Portugal (N = 509) using postal questionnaires. A total of 36% of men...

Objective: Previous studies have examined correlations and predictors of Personal Distress associated with sexual difficulties, but with no focus on this variable among older people. Objectives: (1) to analyze and compare the frequency of different Sexual Difficulties (SD) and Personal Distress in older women and men; (2) to compare sociodemographi...

Objective: Previous studies have examined correlations and predictors of Personal Distress associated with sexual difficulties, but with no focus on this variable among older people. Objectives: (1) to analyze and compare the frequency of different Sexual Difficulties (SD) and Personal Distress in older women and men; (2) to compare sociodemograph...

Aim The Scale of Body Connection (SBC) is a measure aimed at examining body awareness (BA), specifically awareness of inner body sensations, and bodily dissociation (BD), or the sense of separation from the body. The aim of this study was to develop a Portuguese version of the SBC. Method An online survey was completed by 445 women, with an averag...

The practice of Argentine tango has experienced exponential growth all over the world, and several studies have revealed its positive outcomes on physical health. The present study aims to analyze demographic, well-being, and other psychological variables associated with the regular and long-term practice of Argentine tango. Participants included 5...

The goal of this study was to explore potential body awareness and bodily dissociation differences between men and women with and without sexual difficulties, using the Scale of Body Connection in a sample of 909 participants. In women, bodily dissociation scores were significantly higher across all reported sexual difficulties, except in sexual pa...

Aim: The aim of the current paper was to provide an overview of literature on sexual function and sexual difficulties in older adults. Method: We conducted a narrative review of papers published in English between January 2005 and July 2015 based on an extensive search in PsycINFO. Results: The review showed that while common biological changes may...

Aim: the aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the literature published 2005–2015 on sexual satisfaction and body image in older adults. Method: A narrative literature search using the PsycINFO database was conducted. Results: Although women in general seem less satisfied with their bodies than men, particularly in sexual contexts, older wo...

Research has demonstrated a negative impact of cognitive distraction on sexual activity, and body dissatisfaction has been associated to less satisfying and fewer sexual activities. In the current study we examined the extent to which cognitive distraction (based on body appearance and sexual performance) mediated the impact of body dissatisfaction...

Introduction: Studies have demonstrated high levels of satisfaction with penile prosthesis implantation (PPI). However, qualitative research exploring the experience of PPI through men's narratives is scarce. Aim: The main goals were to analyze (i) the level of sexual satisfaction (quantitatively), and (ii) the reasons for satisfaction and/or diss...

Aim: The SESII-W/M is a self-report measure assessing factors that inhibit and enhance sexual arousal in men and women. The goal of this study was to adapt and validate it in a sample of Portuguese men and women. Method: A total of 1,723 heterosexual men and women participated through a web survey, ages ranging from 18 to 72 years old (M = 36.05...

Objective: This study analyzed the correlates of sexual satisfaction among exclusively heterosexual and homosexual men. Method: Analyses were carried out using data from a 2011 web survey about male sexual interest in two European countries. A total of 2,968 men with exclusive heterosexual behavior and 285 men with exclusive homosexual behavior in...

Abstract The inability to reach orgasm is probably the least common and least understood of all male sexual dysfunctions. The present study aims to investigate the incidence of the inability to reach orgasm, and the psychological and interpersonal factors associated with this sexual difficulty. A total of 3,672 heterosexual men from three European...

Abstract The relationship between masturbation and sexual desire has not been systematically studied. The present study assessed the association between masturbation and pornography use and the predictors and correlates of frequent masturbation (several times a week or more often) among coupled heterosexual men who reported decreased sexual desire...

Introduction The high effectiveness of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5-i) in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) has been demonstrated. However, previous research shows that PDE5-i treatments have high discontinuation rates. Aim The main goals of this study were to (i) characterize the way men use PDE5-i and (ii) analyze the adher...

Objective: Despite the fact that a restrictive use of episiotomy has proven to be beneficial, it continues to be widely used in vaginal births. Our aim was to compare women with episiotomy, to women with an intact perineum, 3 months after delivery, regarding several sexual variables, namely: sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, pain, sexual satisfaction...

Objective: Despite the fact that a restrictive use of episiotomy has proven to be beneficial, it continues to be widely used in vaginal births. Our aim was to compare women with episiotomy, to women with an intact perineum, 3 months after delivery, regarding several sexual variables, namely: sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, pain, sexual satisfaction...

Objective: Despite the fact that a restrictive use of episiotomy has proven to be beneficial, it continues to be widely used in vaginal births. Our aim was to compare women with episiotomy, to women with an intact perineum, 3 months after delivery, regarding several sexual variables, namely: sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, pain, sexual satisfaction...

Objective: To analyse the reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction with penile prosthesis (PP) implant through men’s narratives on their experience with PP at diverse levels (sexual, psychological, social). Design and Methods: A total of 48 men (Mean age = 64; SD = 12.4) who underwent implantation from 2003 to 2012 by one single surgeon (53 sur...

Intra-operative complications were observed in 6 surgeries 4 were solved immediately and 1 in a second surgery. Only one of the 2 urethra perforations forced definitive removal of the prosthesis due to infection. Postoperative complications rate was 23.8% 15 prosthesis were temporarily removed (7.4%): 7 of 12 mechanical failures, 5 of the 15 infect...

Objective: To compare the pregnancy period with the postpartum period, and infer if the presence of episiotomy interferes with the experience of female sexuality after childbirth. Method: This is an exploratory and descriptive, quantitative study. A non-probability, convenience sample of 108 women in the first stage (during pregnancy), and of 93...

Low sexual desire has been studied more extensively in women than in men. The study aims to analyze the correlates of distressing lack of sexual interest and the self-assessed reasons for the lack of sexual interest among heterosexual men from three countries. A web-based survey was completed by 5,255 men aged 18-75 years from Portugal, Croatia, an...

In contrast to the body of research focusing on female sexual desire, there has been very little research into patterns of male sexual desire. This study addresses this deficiency in the literature by providing empirical answers to the following three questions: (1) is there a pattern of responsive sexual desire – defined as being predominantly rec...

Satisfaction with the division of housework has been shown to affect women's sexual satisfaction, but this relationship has rarely been studied in men. What are the relationships among men's satisfaction with the division of housework, their perception of their emotional intimacy with their partner, their perception of their partner's sexual attrac...

Introduction. Epidemiological evidence for the association between job-related stress and sexual difficulties in men is largely lacking. Little is known about the factors that may mediate or moderate this relationship. Aim. This study analyzes the association between job-related difficulties and men's sexual difficulties. Main Outcome Measures. Job...

Aim: The main goal was to analyze the use of online pornography and identify some related sexual behaviours in Portuguese women. Method: 216 Portuguese (Mean age = 27.89; SD = 6.40; max. = 58; min. = 18) women answered an online questionnaire about their use of online pornography and other associated sexual behaviours. The questionnaire was announc...

Introduction. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5) are currently the first line treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). However, previous research shows that PDE5 treatments have high discontinuation rates. Understanding the reasons for discontinuing PDE5 will be necessary to optimize the response to treatment. Aim. The main goals were: (i)...

Objective: To compare variables related to sexual functioning, namely: sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, pain, sexual satisfaction and sexual function in women during the pregnancy and 3 months after delivery. Methods: This is an exploratory and descriptive, quantitative study. A non-probability, convenience sample of 62 women in the first stage, and...

Masturbation is a common sexual practice with significant variations in reported incidence between men and women. The goal of this study was to explore (a) the age at initiation and frequency of masturbation, (b) the associations of masturbation with diverse variables, (c) the reported reasons for masturbating and associated emotions, and (d) the r...

Introduction: Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) refers to a condition of intrusive, unwanted, seemingly spontaneous genital arousal/vasocongestion that occurs in the absence of any obvious sexual trigger or explicit sexual interest/desire, and that persists for an extended period of time despite one or several orgasms (Leiblum et al., 2007...

Background / Purpose: The discontinuation rate for phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5-i) use among men with erectile dysfunction (ED) appears to be high. Understanding the reasons for discontinuing PDE5-i will be necessary to optimize the response to ED treatment.The main goal of this study was to (1) analyze drop-out rate to PDE5-i; and (2...

Background / Purpose: Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) are currently the first line treatment option for erectile dysfunction (ED). However, studies have shown low treatment compliance.The main goal of this study was to analyse the patterns and frequency of use of PDE5 inhibitors in the treatment of e...

Introduction. It is well established that sexual desire is a triggered response to effective sexual stimuli. Factors that trigger women's sexual desire can change over time and circumstances. The Cues for Sexual Desire Scale (CSDS) is a valuable assessment tool to measure the range and magnitude of such stimuli. Aim. To investigate the psychometric...

AIM: The main goal was to analyze the frequency and patterns of use of PDE5 inhibitors in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), specifically , to examine the factors that determine to take or not to take the PDE5 inhibitor. METHODS: Participants: N=304 men with clinical diagnosis for ED treated with a PDE5-i, private practice. Mean age=55.8;...

Introduction. There are problems with the existing definition of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in that desire for sex and sexual fantasy are not a universal experience. Aims. To explore: (i) women's motivations to engage in sexual activity; (ii) frequency and predictors of sexual fantasies; (iii) sexual arousal; (iv) recognition of sexua...

Introduction: The notion that sexual desire is defined by sexual fantasy frequency and desire for sexual activity has been challenged. There is still a need for empirical research on patterns of female sexual response that might inform the diagnostic criteria for sexual desire and arousal dysfunction in the DSM-V. Aim: To investigate patterns of se...

Introduction: According to Basson’s model of female sexual response, for many women sexual arousal may precede conscious feelings of sexual desire, and women in long-term relationships rarely begin a sexual encounter with spontaneous desire. However, this model has been criticized for being more appropriate for women with sexual dysfunction. Object...

Introduction: Sexual activity, sexual satisfaction and sexual desire are thought to decline in women as the duration of partnership increases (Klusmann, 2002). Marital duration has a small and negative effect on the quality of marital sex (Liu, 2003). Because the diagnosis of hypoactive sexual desire disorder according to the DSM-IV-TR requires the...

The study of sexual satisfaction has been hampered by poor conceptualization of the concept. However, various scales have been developed to measure sexual satisfaction. Nevertheless, we recognize how much we have imposed male-oriented criteria of sexual pleasure onto women. But there are some gender differences to consider and we realize how little...

We intend to discuss the main reasons to the non-existence of therapeutic protocols for FSD, and to examine the clinical interventions available at the present time.The long negligence on the study of female sexuality had significant consequences: difficulty on conceptualizing women's sexual response and to create a theoretical model; the lack of s...

In this article we review the main research theory concerning sexual orientation, transitions and fluctuations, specially focusing on the Lisa Diamond studies on transitions between sexual identity, behaviour and attractions. Presented are also the most relevant results on gender differences in sexual orientation, which find these differences more...

The present article is about a particular form of sexual activity on the Internet: cybersex in chatrooms-in Portuguese by Portuguese people. This study aims to identify the reasons for engaging in cybersex on chats and the behavioral domains that characterize this activity. To carry out the study, we developed a self-report questionnaire that we ma...