Date of Award

2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychology

Specialization

Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Patricia Morokoff

Abstract

The subjective experience of orgasm is an important, yet understudied aspect of the sexual experience (Arcos-Romero, Expósito-Guerra, & Sierra, 2020). The Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS) is a measure for which respondents rate adjective descriptors of their last orgasm experience along Cognitive-Affective and Sensory dimensions (Mah & Binik, 2002). The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) test the psychometric soundness of the ORS in a sample of 359 sexually active women, 2) determine whether ORS responses would result in meaningful clusters, and 3) validate the clusters by investigating any significant score differences among them on measures of sexual functioning, interoceptive awareness, and attention to genital cues. Results showed: 1) a psychometrically sound ORS structure of three components and 23 items, 2) the ORS responses were best categorized into five clusters, and 3) validity of the clusters was established by significantly different means on sexual functioning and interoceptive awareness measures, as well as response differences in whether one's last orgasm was with or without a partner. Overall, the results suggest that there is a relationship between subjective experience of orgasm and endorsement of various facets of sexual functioning and bodily mindfulness.

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