Sexual dysfunction is a complex problem with both physical and psychological dimensions that prevents individuals from having a healthy and satisfying sex life. Sexual dysfunction, particularly in women, can manifest in various ways, such as loss of sexual desire, arousal problems, difficulty achieving orgasm, and painful sexual intercourse. However, the development of these disorders is not solely due to biological factors; social factors that shape a woman’s psychological world also play a significant role. Social gender roles, expectations placed on women, and taboos surrounding sexuality can directly affect a woman’s perception of her own body and sexuality, thereby hindering the healthy development of sexual function.
The purpose of this article is to examine in depth the psychological effects of social gender roles on the development of sexual dysfunction in women and to reveal the implications of these dynamics on sexual health.
Social Gender
Gender refers to the set of social roles, behavioural patterns and expectations that society assigns to individuals as female or male; this concept is shaped by cultural and historical contexts and determines an individual’s position in society.
Biological sex is a physiological concept based on the chromosomal, hormonal, and anatomical characteristics that individuals are born with and is generally defined as male (XY) or female (XX).
Psychological gender identity, on the other hand, is a subjective and internal experience related to how an individual defines themselves as female, male, both, or neither; it reflects the individual’s internal perception of gender and can develop independently of biological sex and social gender roles.
The fundamental difference between these three concepts is that biological sex is based on physical characteristics, social gender on social norms and expectations, and psychological gender identity on the individual’s subjective sense of self; therefore, it has significant effects on the individual’s mental health, social adaptation, and sexual function.
Gender roles deeply affect women’s psychological self-development and self-esteem by imposing behavioural patterns such as passivity, shyness and modesty. According to social role theory, women’s adoption of more compliant, shy, and self-effacing roles is a reflection of society’s expectations of the ‘ideal woman.’ These roles limit women’s ability to express their own needs and desires, weakening their individual autonomy and leading to negative internalisation of their self-image.
While self-esteem is defined as the sum of an individual’s value judgements about themselves, socially imposed norms of passivity and modesty in women can hinder the development of self-esteem and cause women to feel inadequate or worthless. Therefore, the repeated transmission of these gender norms can also lay the groundwork for long-term consequences such as anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction in women’s psychological health.
Psychological Reasons
Negative Body Image and Shame
One of the main psychological causes of sexual dysfunction in women is negative beliefs about body image. When women perceive their bodies as inadequate, unattractive, or flawed, it can lead to decreased sexual desire, arousal problems, and sexual dissatisfaction. These negative attitudes towards body image are often reinforced by social pressures and media influences that begin during adolescence. Feelings of shame, particularly in women raised with strict religious or cultural norms, increase fear and guilt related to sexuality, directly negatively affecting sexual function.
Overly Controlling Parenting Attitudes and Social Taboos
Overprotective and controlling parenting attitudes hinder the child’s development of independence, leading to shyness and excessive feelings of privacy. In women, the taboo and suppression of sexuality before marriage leads them to internalise their sexual life as a sinful or dirty experience. This situation causes intense anxiety, tension and sexual avoidance behaviour, especially during first sexual experiences.
Traumatic Experiences
Childhood sexual abuse or traumatic experiences during adolescence significantly increase the risk of sexual dysfunction in later years by damaging women’s sense of security regarding sexuality. These traumas often lead to false associations between sexuality and violence or control, and avoidance of sexual intimacy.
Depression, Anxiety and Low Self-Esteem
Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric disorders that cause significant decreases in both sexual desire and sexual satisfaction. Women with low self-esteem do not feel adequate in sexual relationships, and this situation triggers performance anxiety and functional impairment. In addition, physiological responses experienced during anxiety disorders (muscle tension, increased heart rate) can also inhibit sexual arousal.
Theoretical Explanations
Psychodynamic Theory
Psychodynamic theory argues that unconscious conflicts, repressed emotions, and relational experiences in early childhood play an important role in the underlying causes of sexual dysfunction. According to Freud, sexual dysfunction can develop as a result of parent-child relationships experienced during childhood, strict moral values, and internalised feelings of guilt. For example, overly strict and punitive parental attitudes can cause women to repress their sexual desires, leading to problems such as sexual aversion or arousal difficulties.
Cognitive Theory
According to cognitive theory, sexual dysfunction stems from distorted thoughts and negative beliefs that individuals hold about sexuality. For example, beliefs such as ‘Women should not be sexual,’ ‘Sexuality is only a male need,’ or ‘Sexual intercourse is a sinful and dirty act’ cause women to feel intense guilt and shame about sexuality. These cognitive distortions, combined with mechanisms such as performance anxiety and self-monitoring, trigger arousal difficulties and orgasm problems.
Behaviourist Theory
Behaviourist theory suggests that sexual dysfunction develops as a result of learned avoidance responses and negative reinforcement. For example, if a woman learns during childhood or adolescence that sexual topics are taboo, or if she experiences negative experiences related to sexuality (e.g., punishment, ridicule), she may develop conditioned anxiety responses to sexual intimacy. These conditioned responses can lead to avoidance of sexual arousal over time and the development of persistent sexual dysfunction.
Conclusion
As a result, gender roles emerge as a decisive factor in the development of sexual dysfunction in women. The norms imposed by these roles shape women’s perceptions of sexuality, creating profound psychological effects on individual experiences. Therefore, it is important to consider not only the individual but also the social context when assessing sexual dysfunction.
References
American Psychological Association. (2015). Guidelines for psychological practice with
transgender and gender nonconforming people. American Psychologist, 70(9), 832–864.
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039906
Diamond, M. (2002). Sex and gender are different: Sexual identity and gender identity are
different. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 7(3), 320–334.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104502007003002
Eagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2012). Social role theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W.
Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology (Vol. 2, pp.
458–476). Sage.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2024). Gender and health. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/health-topics/gender
Clayton, A. H. (2010). Depression and its impact on sexual dysfunction in women. Journal of
Sexual Medicine, 7(1 Pt 1), 368–376. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01552.x
Parent, M. C., & Moradi, B. (2011). His biceps become him: A test of objectification theory's
application to drive for muscularity and propensity for steroid use in college men. Journal of
Counseling Psychology, 58(2), 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022927
Pujols, Y., Meston, C. M., & Seal, B. N. (2010). The association between sexual satisfaction
and body image in women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7(2 Pt 2), 905–916.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01604.x
Rellini, A. H. (2008). Sexual desire and satisfaction in women with a history of childhood
sexual abuse: The role of abuse severity, sexual functioning, and sexual self-schema. Journal
of Sexual Medicine, 5(1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2007.00652.x
Shifren, J. L., Monz, B. U., Russo, P. A., Segreti, A., & Johannes, C. B. (2008). Sexual
problems and distress in United States women: Prevalence and correlates. Obstetrics &
Gynecology, 112(5), 970–978. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181898cdb
Stephenson, K. R., & Winter, A. S. (2017). Disclosure and sexual well-being among sexual
assault survivors. Journal of Sex Research, 54(7), 949–961.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1269326
Moradi, B., & Huang, Y.-P. (2008). Objectification theory and psychology of women: A
decade of advances and future directions. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32(4), 377–398.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2008.00452.x
Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. New York: International
Universities Press.
Brotto, L. A., Woo, J. S., & Ryder, A. G. (2016). Psychosocial and cognitive-behavioral
interventions for female sexual dysfunction. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 13(4), 538–557.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.01.013
Freud, S. (1905/1953). Three essays on the theory of sexuality. In J. Strachey (Ed. & Trans.),
The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 7, pp.
125–243). London: Hogarth Press.
Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1970). Human Sexual Inadequacy. Boston: Little, Brown.