Abstract
Sexual satisfaction is important to individual well-being and relationship satisfaction, making it a relevant research topic for researchers and relationship therapists. While ample research exists examining which factors affect sexual dysfunctions, there is much less research about sexual experiences circumventing functional or satisfactory sex and transcending into great and extraordinary sexual experiences; the current study adds to sexuality literature by asking participants questions about the factors involved in “great,” “good,” and “bad” sex, and the differences between those experiences. Through in-depth interviews, participants reported sexual skills (either their partner’s or combined skill), sexual responsiveness, and sexual mindfulness as characteristics of great sex. Women reported body image concerns thwarted their ability to remain present during sex. This study contributes to the scant existing literature on the components of great sex.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ackard, D., Kearney-Cooke, A., & Peterson, C. (2000). Effect of body image and self-image on women’s sexual behaviors. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 28(4), 422–429. https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-108x(200012)28:4%3c422::aid-eat10%3e3.0.co;2-1
Adam, F., Géonet, M., Day, J., & De Sutter, J. (2015a). Mindfulness skills are associated with female orgasm? Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 30(2), 256–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2014.986085
Adam, F., Heeren, A., Day, J., & De Sutter, J. (2015b). Development of the sexual five-facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ-S): Validation among a community sample of French-speaking women. The Journal of Sex Research, 52(6), 617–626. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2014.894490
Balzarini, R. N., Muise, A., Dobson, K., Kohut, T., Raposo, S., & Campbell, L. (2021). The detriments of unmet sexual ideals and buffering effect of sexual communal strength. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 120(6), 1521–1550. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000323
Bowden, C., & Galindo-Gonzalez, S. (2015). Interviewing when you’re not face-to-face: The use of email interviews in a phenomenological study. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 10, 79–92.
Bowker, N., & Tuffin, K. (2004). Using the online medium for discursive research about people with disabilities. Social Science Computer Review, 22(2), 228–241. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439303262561
Braun, V., Gavey, N., & McPhillips, K. (2003). The ‘fair deal’? Unpacking accounts of reciprocity in heterosex. Sexualities, 6(2), 237–261. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607030060020
Burke, T. J., & Young, V. J. (2012). Sexual transformations and intimate behaviors in romantic relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 49, 454–463. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2011.5699778
Carvalheira, A. A., & Costa, P. A. (2015). The impact of relational factors on sexual satisfaction among heterosexual and homosexual men. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 30(3), 314–324. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2015.1041372
Chadwick, S., & van Anders, S. (2017). Do women’s orgasms function as a masculinity achievement for men? The Journal of Sex Research, 54(9), 1141–1152. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1283484
Davidson, T., & McCabe, M. (2005). Relationships between men’s and women’s body image and their psychological, social, and sexual functioning. Sex Roles, 52, 463–475. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-3712-z
Dosch, A., Rochat, L., Ghisletta, P., Favez, N., & van der Linden, M. (2016). Psychological factors involved in sexual desire, sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction: A multi-factorial perspective. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45, 2029–2045. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0467-z
Dubé, J. P., Corsini-Munt, S., Muise, A., & Rosen, N. O. (2019). Emotion regulation in couples affected by female sexual interest/arousal disorder. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(8), 2491–2506. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01465-4
Dworkin, S. L. (2012). Sample size policy for qualitative studies using in-depth interviews. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41, 1319–1320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-0016-6
Elder, W., Brooks, G., & Morrow, S. (2012). Sexual self-schemas of heterosexual men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 13(2), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024835
Fahs, B. (2014). Coming to power: Women’s fake orgasms and best orgasm experiences illuminate the failures of (hetero) sex and the pleasures of connection. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 16(8), 974–988. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2014.924557
Fahs, B., & Plante, R. (2017). On “good sex” and other dangerous ideas: Women narrate their joyous and happy sexual encounters. Journal of Gender Studies, 26(1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2016.1246999
Falconer, T., Quinn-Nilas, C., & Milhausen, R. (2022). Body image self-consciousness, sexting, and sexual satisfaction among midlife Canadians. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 31(1), 46–63. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2021-0027
Fischer, V., Andersson, G., Billieux, J., & Vögele, C. (2022). The relationship between emotion regulation and sexual function and satisfaction: A scoping review. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 10(2), 195–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2021.11.004
Frederick, D. A., Lever, J., Gillespie, B. J., & Garcia, J. R. (2017). What keeps passion alive? Sexual satisfaction is associated with sexual communication, mood setting, sexual variety, oral sex, orgasm, and sex frequency in a national US study. Journal of Sex Research, 54(2), 186–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2015.1137854
Freihart, B. K., Sears, M. A., & Meston, C. M. (2020). Relational and interpersonal predictors of sexual satisfaction. Current Sexual Health Report, 12, 136–142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-020-00260-w
Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408–2141. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281
Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (2017). Discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Routledge.
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough?: An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05279903
Hargons, C. N., Thorpe, S., Malone, N., Wright, C. J., Dogan, J. N., Mizelle, D. L., Stuck, J. L., Sullivan, Q. A., Sanchez, A., Bohmer, C., Stage, M., & Gilbert, T. Q. (2022). Black people’s constructions of good sex: Describing good sex from the margins. Sexualities. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607221101854
Harris, E. A., Hornsey, M. J., Larsen, H. F., & Barlow, F. K. (2019). Beliefs about gender predict faking orgasm in heterosexual women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 2419–2433. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01510-2
Harvey, L., & Gill, R. (2011). The sex inspectors: Self-help, makeover and mediated sex. In K. Ross (Ed.), Handbook on gender, sexualities and media. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hellyer, J. (2022). A heuristic inquiry into the transformative potential of optimal sexuality within a relational context. Consciousness, Spirituality & Transpersonal Psychology, 3, 51–65. https://doi.org/10.53074/cstp.2022.30
Herring, S. C. (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Linguistic, social and cross-cultural perspectives.Philadelphia, PA: John Benjamin Publishing Company.
Herbenick, D., Eastman-Mueller, H., Fu, T. C., Dodge, B., Ponander, K., & Sanders, S. A. (2019). Women’s sexual satisfaction, communication, and reasons for (no longer) faking orgasm: Findings from a US probability sample. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 2461–2472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01493-0
Hershberger, P. E., & Kavanaugh, K. (2017). Comparing appropriateness and equivalence of email interviews to phone interviews in qualitative research on reproductive decisions. Applied Nursing Research, 37, 50–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2017.07.005
Higgins, J., Trussell, J., Moore, N., & Davidson, J. K. (2010). Virginity lost, satisfaction gained? Physiological and psychological sexual satisfaction at heterosexual debut. Journal of Sex Research, 47(4), 384–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224491003774792
Holt, L., Chung, Y., Janssen, E., & Peterson, Z. D. (2021). Female sexual satisfaction and sexual identity. The Journal of Sex Research, 58(2), 195–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1784827
Hoyt, W., & Kogan, L. (2001). Satisfaction with body image and peer relationships for males and females in a college environment. Sex Roles, 45, 199–215. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013501827550
Impett, E. A., Muise, A., & Harasymchuk, C. (2019). Giving in the bedroom: The costs and benefits of responding to a partner’s sexual needs in daily life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(8), 2455–2473. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518787349
Impett, E., & Tolman, D. (2006). Late adolescent girls’ sexual experiences and sexual satisfaction. Journal of Adolescent Research, 21(6), 628–646. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558406293964
Jones, A. (2020). Camming: Money, power, and pleasure in the sex work industry. NYU Press.
Jordan, J., Vandello, J., Heesacker, M., & Larson-Konar, D. M. (2022). Do women withhold honest sexual communication when they believe their partner’s manhood is threatened? Social Psychological and Personality Science, 13(8), 1210–1220. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211067884
Kashani, F. L., & Vaziri, S. (2011). The effect of sexual skills training on marital satisfaction. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2581–2585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.505
Kashani, F. L., Vaziri, S., Akbari, M. E., Far, Z. J., & Far, N. S. (2014). Sexual skills, sexual satisfaction and body image in women with breast cancer. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 159(23), 288–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.374
Kiefer, A., & Sanchez, D. (2007). Scripting sexual passivity: A gender role perspective. Personal Relationships, 14(2), 269–290. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2007.00154.x
Kim, B. S., Brenner, B. R., Liang, C. T. H., & Asay, P. A. (2003). A qualitative study of adaptation experiences of 1.5-generation Asian Americans. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 9(2), 156–170. https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.9.2.156
Kim, J. J., Muise, A., Sakaluk, J. K., Rosen, N. O., & Impett, E. A. (2020). When tonight is not the night: Sexual rejection behaviors and satisfaction in romantic relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46(10), 1476–1490. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220907469
Kleinplatz, P., Charest, M., Rosen, L., & Ménard, A. D. (2022). Optimal couple sexuality: A review of the (limited) literature. Current Sexual Health Reports, 14(2), 63–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-022-00327-w
Kleinplatz, P. J., & Ménard, A. D. (2007). Building blocks towards optimal sexuality: Constructing a conceptual model. The Family Journal, 15(1), 72–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480706294126
Kleinplatz, P., Ménard, A., Paquet, M., Paradis, N., Campbell, M., Zuccarino, D., & Mehak, L. (2009). The components of optimal sexuality: A portrait of “great sex.” Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 18(1–2), 1–13.
Kleinplatz, P. J., Ménard, A. D., Paradis, N., Campbell, M., & Dalgleish, T. (2013). Beyond sexual stereotypes: Revealing group differences and similarities in optimal sexuality. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 45(3), 250–258. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031776
La Rocque, C. L., & Cioe, J. (2011). An evaluation of the relationship between body image and sexual avoidance. Journal of Sex Research, 48(4), 397–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2010.499522
Lafrance, M., Stelzl, M., & Bullock, K. (2017). “I’m not gonna fake it”: University women’s accounts of resisting the normative practice of faking orgasm. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 41(2), 210–222. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684316683520
Lavie, M., & Willig, C. (2005). I don’t feel like melting butter”: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of ‘inorgasmia. Psychology & Health, 20(1), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440412331296044
Leavitt, C., Lefkowitz, E., & Waterman, E. (2019). The role of sexual mindfulness in sexual wellbeing, relational wellbeing, and self-esteem. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45(6), 497–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2019.1572680
Leavitt, C., Leonhardt, N., Busby, D., & Clarke, R. W. (2021). When is enough enough? Orgasm’s curvilinear association with relational and sexual satisfaction. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 18(1), 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.10.002
Lentz, A., & Zaikman, Y. (2021). The big “O”: Sociocultural influences on orgasm frequency and sexual satisfaction in women. Sexuality & Culture, 25(3), 1096–1123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09811-8
Lindley, L., Anzani, A., Prunas, A., & Galupo, M. P. (2021). Sexual satisfaction in trans masculine and nonbinary individuals: A qualitative investigation. Journal of Sex Research, 58(2), 222–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1799317
Lodge, A., & Umberson, D. (2012). All shook up: Sexuality of mid-to later life married couples. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74(3), 428–443. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.00969.x
Lyons, H., Manning, W., Longmore, M., & Giordano, P. C. (2014). Young adult casual sexual behavior: Life-course-specific motivations and consequences. Sociological Perspectives, 57(1), 79–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731121413517557
Mallory, A. B. (2022). Dimensions of couples’ sexual communication, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 36(3), 358–371. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000946
Mann, C., & Stewart, F. (2000). Internet communication and qualitative research: A handbook for researching online. Sage.
Matheson, K. (1992). Women and computer technology: Communicating for herself. In M. Lea (Ed.), Contexts of computer-mediated communication (pp. 66–88). Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
McClelland, S. (2014). What do you mean when you say that you are sexually satisfied? A mixed methods study. Feminism & Psychology, 24(1), 74–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353513508392
McDermott, E., & Roen, K. (2012). Youth on the virtual edge: Researching marginalized sexualities and genders online. Qualitative Health Research, 22(4), 560–570. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732311425052
McHugh, M. (2006). What do women want? A new view of women’s sexual problems. Sex Roles, 54, 361–369. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9006-2
McNulty, J. K., Wenner, C., & Fisher, T. (2016). Longitudinal associations among relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and frequency of sex in early marriage. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45, 85–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0444-6
McNulty, J. K., & Widman, L. (2013). The implications of sexual narcissism for sexual and marital satisfaction. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(6), 1021–1032. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-0041-5
Meadows, L. M., & Morse, J. M. (2001). Constructing evidence within the qualitative project. In J. M. Morse, J. M. Swanson, & A. J. Kuzel (Eds.), The nature of evidence in qualitative inquiry (pp. 187–200). Sage.
Ménard, A. D., & Kleinplatz, P. K. (2008). 21 moves guaranteed to make his thighs go up in flames: Depictions of “great sex” in popular magazines. Sexuality & Culture, 12, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-007-9013-7
Ménard, A. D., Kleinplatz, P. J., Rosen, L., Lawless, S., Paradis, N., Campbell, M., & Huber, J. D. (2015). Individual and relational contributors to optimal sexual experiences in older men and women. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 30(1), 78–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2014.931689
Mohebati, A., Knutson, A., Zhou, X. K., Smith, J. J., Brown, P. H., Dannenberg, A. J., & Szabo, E. (2012). A web-based screening and accrual strategy for a cancer prevention clinical trial in healthy smokers. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 33(5), 942–948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2012.07.004
Muise, A., Bergeron, S., Impett, E. A., Delisle, I., & Rosen, N. O. (2018). Communal motivation in couples coping with vulvodynia: Sexual distress mediates associations with pain, depression, and anxiety. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 106, 34–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.01.006
Muise, A., Bergeron, S., Impett, E. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2017a). The costs and benefits of sexual communal motivation for couples coping with vulvodynia. Health Psychology, 36(8), 819–827. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000470
Muise, A., & Impett, E. A. (2015). Good, giving, and game: The relationship benefits of communal sexual responsiveness. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(2), 164–172. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550614553641
Muise, A., & Impett, E. A. (2016). Applying theories of communal motivation to sexuality. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(8), 455–467. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12261
Muise, A., Impett, E. A., Desmarais, S., & Kogan, A. (2013). Keeping the spark alive: Being motivated to meet a partner’s sexual needs sustains sexual desire in long-term romantic relationships. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 4(3), 267–273. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550612457185v
Muise, A., Kim, J. J., Impett, E. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2017b). Understanding when a partner is not in the mood: Sexual communal strength in couples transitioning to parenthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46(7), 1993–2006. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0920-2
Muise, A., Kovacevic, K., Shoikhedbrod, A., & Uppot, A. (2023). The benefits (and costs) of sexual responsiveness in romantic relationships. Current Opinion Psychology, 52, 101644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101644
Naderi, S., Delavar, A., & Dortaj, F. (2019). Evaluation of the effectiveness of sexual skills training on increasing marital satisfaction. Advances in Health and Behavior, 2(1), 34–40. https://doi.org/10.25082/AHB.2019.01.002
Nelson, A., & Purdon, C. (2011). Non-erotic thoughts, attentional focus, and sexual problems in a community sample. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40(2), 395–406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-010-9693-1
O’Reilly, M., & Parker, N. (2013). Unsatisfactory saturation: A critical exploration of the notion of saturated sample sizes in qualitative research. Qualitative Research, 13(2), 190–197. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112446106
Peixoto, M. (2023). Mindfulness, self-compassion, and acceptance as predictors of sexual satisfaction in cisgender heterosexual men and women. Healthcare, 11(13), 1839. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131839
Plante, R. (2023). Fangirling and a sociology of fucking. Sexualities, 26(4), 540–541. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231169517
Pujols, Y., Meston, C., & Seal, B. (2010). The association between sexual satisfaction and body image in women. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7(2 Part 2), 905–916. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01604.x
Ramo, D. E., Hall, S. M., & Prochaska, J. J. (2010). Reaching young adult smokers through the internet: Comparison of three recruitment mechanisms. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 12(7), 768–775. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntq086
Raposo, S., Rosen, N. O., Corsini-Munt, S., Maxwell, J. A., & Muise, A. (2021). Navigating women’s low desire: Sexual growth and destiny beliefs and couples’ well-being. Journal of Sex Research, 58(9), 1118–1129. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1884179
Ratislavová, K., & Ratislav, J. (2014). Asynchronous email interview as a qualitative research method in the humanities. Human Affairs, 24(4), 452–460. https://doi.org/10.2478/s13374-014-0240-y
Rellini, A. H., Vujanovic, A. A., Gilbert, M., & Zvolensky, M. J. (2012). Childhood maltreatment and difficulties in emotion regulation: Associations with sexual and relationship satisfaction among young adult women. The Journal of Sex Research, 49(5), 434–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2011.565430
Rowland, D., Cempel, L., & Tempel, A. (2018). Women’s attributions regarding why they have difficulty reaching orgasm. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44(5), 475–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1408046
Rye, B. J., & Meaney, G. J. (2007). The pursuit of sexual pleasure. Sexuality & Culture, 11, 28–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02853934
Sakaluk, J., Todd, L., Milhausen, R., & Lachowsky, N. J. (2014). Dominant heterosexual sexual scripts in emerging adulthood: Conceptualization and measurement. Journal of Sex Research, 51(5), 516–531. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.745473
Salisbury, C., & Fisher, W. (2014). “Did you come?” A qualitative exploration of gender differences in beliefs, experiences, and concerns regarding female orgasm occurrence during heterosexual sexual interactions. The Journal of Sex Research, 51(6), 616–631. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2013.838934
Sanchez, D., & Kiefer, A. (2007). Body concerns in and out of the bedroom: Implications for sexual pleasure and problems. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36(6), 808–820. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-007-9205-0
Santinele Martino, A. (2022). The Intersection of Intellectual Disability and Sexuality. Invited panelist, Sexualities, Disabilities, and Displaced Bodies session, American Sociological Association, Los Angeles.
Schwenck, G. C., Dawson, S. J., Muise, A., & Rosen, N. O. (2020). A comparison of the sexual well-being of new parents with community couples. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 17(11), 2156–2167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.08.011
Seal, B., Bradford, A., & Meston, C. (2009). The association between body esteem and sexual desire among college women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38(5), 866–872. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9467-1
Séguin, L., & Blais, M. (2019). Pleasure is just the tip of the iceberg: Social representations, personal beliefs, and attributed meanings to partnered orgasm. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 28(3), 328–342. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2019-0027
Shahhosseini, Z., Gardeshi, Z. H., Pourasghar, M., & Salehi, F. (2014). A review of affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women. Materia Socio Medica, 26(6), 378–381. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2014.26.378-381
Shoikhedbrod, A., Rosen, N. O., Corsini-Munt, S., Harasymchuk, C., Impett, E. A., & Muise, A. (2023). Being responsive and self-determined when it comes to sex: How and why sexual motivation is associated with satisfaction and desire in romantic relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 60(8), 1113–1125. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2130132
Siegel, M., DiLoreto, J., Johnson, A., Fortunato, E. K., & Dejong, W. (2011). Development and pilot testing of an internet-based survey instrument to measure the alcohol brand preferences of U.S. youth. Alcoholism-Clinical and Experimental Research, 35(4), 765–772. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01394.x
Silverstein, R. G., Brown, A. C., Roth, H. D., & Britton, W. B. (2011). Effects of mindfulness training on body awareness to sexual stimuli: Implications for female sexual dysfunction. Psychosomatic Medicine, 73(9), 817–825. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e318234e628
Stephenson, K., & Kerth, J. (2017). Effects of mindfulness-based therapies for female sexual dysfunction: A meta-analytic review. The Journal of Sex Research, 54(7), 832–849. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1331199
Stringer, E. T. (2007). Action research. London: Sage.
Sumter, S., Vandenbosch, L., & Ligtenberg, L. (2017). Love me Tinder: Untangling emerging adults’ motivations for using the dating application Tinder. Telematics and Informatics, 34(1), 67–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2016.04.009
Thorpe, S., & Kuperberg, A. (2021). Social motivations for college hookups. Sexuality & Culture, 25(2), 623–645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09786-6
Thorpe, S., Malone, N., Hargons, C. N., Dogan, J. N., & Jester, J. K. (2022). The peak of pleasure: US Southern Black women’s definitions of and feelings toward sexual pleasure. Sexuality & Culture, 26(3), 1115–1131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-021-09934-6
Tidwell, L. C., & Walther, J. B. (2002). Computer-mediated communication effects on disclosure, impressions, and interpersonal evaluations: Getting to know one another a bit at a time. Human Communication Research, 28(3), 317–348. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2002.tb00811.x
van den Brink, F., & Vollmann, M. (2023). Young women’s sexual satisfaction in danger: the significance of thin-ideal internalization, positive body image, and appearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy. Health Psychology Report, 11(1), 81. https://doi.org/10.5114/hpr/153967
van den Brink, F., Vollmann, M., Smeets, M., Hessen, D., & Woertman, L. (2018). Relationships between body image, sexual satisfaction, and relationship quality in romantic couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(4), 466–474. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000407
Vance, G., Zeigler-Hill, V., Meehan, M. M., Young, G., & Shackelford, T. K. (2023). Sexual communal strength partially mediates the associations between mate retention behaviors and relationship satisfaction. Journal of Sex Research, 60(3), 399–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.2023856
Vowels, L. M., Roos, C. A., Mehulić, J., O’Dean, S. M., & Sánchez-Hernández, M. D. (2022). What does it mean to be responsive to a partner’s sexual needs? Toward a definition of sexual need responsiveness. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51, 3735–3747. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02432-2
Walker, A. M. (2014a). I’m not a lesbian; I’m just a freak’: A pilot study of the experiences of women in assumed-monogamous other-sex unions seeking secret same-sex encounters online, their negotiation of sexual desire, and meaning-making of sexual identity. Sexuality & Culture, 18, 911–935. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-014-9226-5
Walker, A. M. (2014b). ‘Our little secret’: How publicly heterosexual women make meaning from their “undercover” same-sex sexual experiences. Journal of Bisexuality, 14, 194–208. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2014.902347
Walker, A. M. (2017). The secret life of the cheating wife: Power, pragmatism, and pleasure in women’s infidelity. Lexington Books.
Walker, A. M. (2019). Having your cake and eating it, too: Factors impacting perception of life satisfaction during outside partnerships. Sexuality & Culture, 23, 112–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-018-9545-z
Walker, A. M. (2020). Chasing masculinity: Men, validation, and infidelity (p. 2023). Palgrave MacMillan.
Walker, A. M., & Lutmer, A. (2023). Caring, chemistry, and orgasms: Components of great sexual experiences. Sexuality & Culture, 27, 1735–1756. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-023-10087-x
Walker, J. L. (2012). The use of saturation in qualitative research. Canadian Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 22(2), 37–41.
Wampold, C. H. (2014). The components of great sex: Sexuality education for people who desire to scale the heights of optimal sexuality. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 9(2), 219–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2014.903814
Woertman, L., & van den Brink, F. (2012). Body image and female sexual functioning and behavior: A review. Journal of Sex Research, 49(2–3), 184–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.658586
World Health Organization. (2024). Sexual health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/sexual-health#tab=tab_1.
Zegeye, B., Woldeamanuel, G. G., Negash, W., & Shibre, G. (2020). Sexual satisfaction and its associated factors among married women in Northern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Health Science, 30(2), 169–178. https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v30i2.4
Funding
The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the data collection or preparation of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Material preparation and data collection were performed by Author 1. Data analysis was performed by both authors. All drafts of the manuscript were jointly written, read, and approved by both authors.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Ethics Approval
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Missouri State University February 23, 2016 # 16-0312.
Consent to Participate
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Consent for Publication
The authors affirm that human research participants provided informed consent for the publication of their interview data.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Walker, A.M., Lutmer, A. Sexual Skills, Sexual Responsiveness, and Sexual Mindfulness: Components of Great Sexual Experiences. Sexuality & Culture (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-024-10226-y
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-024-10226-y