Answering the call for more research on sexual pleasure: A mixed method case study of the Betty Dodson Bodysex(TM) workshops.

摘要

The purpose of the research was to learn from the experience of female participants in Betty Dodson's Bodysex(TM) workshops regarding their perceptions of the impact of the workshop on the following aspects of their sexuality: sisterhood, masturbation, orgasm, sexual self-schema, body esteem, and female genital self-image. By using a mixed method approach, this research aimed to answer the broad research question, "to what degree and in what ways does change result?" Survey responses from 63 prior participants provided a sense of "to what degree?" as well as a quantifiable response related to "in what ways?" Individual interviews with a volunteer sample of 15 of those women provided rich data about their varied perceptions of "in what ways". Statistically significant and substantial differences/changes regarding genital self-image, sexual self-efficacy, and sexual satisfaction were found in the pre and post surveys taken by the sample of 13 women who took the workshop in Fall 2014. While these measures beg to be replicated with larger samples sizes, preliminary indications are that the psycho-educational intervention called Bodysex(TM) is quite impactful to the way women experience their sexuality. Qualitative data from interviews and open-ended responses from prior participants show that Bodysex(TM) has a profound impact and thematic analysis yielded findings in the following areas: experience of sisterhood, feeling more normal, feeling empowered, and healing both physically and emotionally. In sum, the outcomes women experience from Bodysex(TM) participation are improved genital self image, sexual self-efficacy, and sexual satisfaction, increased comfort with their bodies and own nudity, emotional healing, and sisterhood that carries back into their general lives. Changes to women post Bodysex(TM) also include positive shifts in their experience of orgasm especially with masturbation, active pursuit of pleasure, and openness to talk about sex and sexuality with others, including specific sexual likes and needs with sex partners.