UNDERSTANDING THE FEMALE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF SEXUAL ADDICTION AND THE ...

169 Pages·2010·1.08 MB·English

UNDERSTANDING THE FEMALE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF SEXUAL
ADDICTION AND THE ROLE OF ADDICTION TREATMENT

by

MEGAN ASHLEY DOUGLASS
B.A. University of Michigan 2003

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Arts
in the Department of Anthropology
in the College of Sciences
at the University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida

Spring Term
2010
© 2010 Megan A. Douglass

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ABSTRACT

Beginning with the diagnosis of nymphomania in the 19th Century, there has been
widespread and continued interest across the mental health and bio-medical realm of
what constitutes normality of female sexual behavior, and of the boundary at which
sexual desire is deemed to be excessive, and thus abnormal. However, research questions
that specifically investigate the subjective female voice and perspective in considerations
of so-called hypersexuality or sex addiction remain understudied. This research project
proposes to examine the cultural pathways and systemic foundations which have
historically in the West problematized female sexuality by investigating women‘s own
perceptions of sexual addiction and their experiences in seeking (or not) addiction
treatment. In addition, this research project proposes to investigate the perceptions of
therapists (psychologists and psychiatrists) who treat hypersexual female patients, in
order to examine their beliefs about the cultural and biological genesis of the disorder,
and its appearance in female patients. Theoretically, this project aims to move away from
the concept of individualized bodies suffering singularly from (dis)ease and
―abnormality,‖ and investigate the ways in which Western cultural notions of ―normal‖
female sexuality shape women‘s self-perceptions and notions about sexual ―deviance.‖

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To K.I.R

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would first like to thank all of the women and therapists who so graciously
extended me their time. I remain amazed by and thankful for the willingness of others to
share their thoughts and experiences with a virtual stranger.
I would like to thank Dr. Joanna Mishtal for being a constant source of stability,
support and encouragement throughout this project. Thanks for taking my calls anytime.
Thank you Dr. Silver and Dr. McIntyre for your support of this project and for
agreeing to be a part of my committee.
A million thanks will never do for my mother who has always encouraged me to
do my best and supported me fully in everything I have ever done, including writing this
thesis. Thanks to my father for moving the T.V. to the other wall so I could write at night
and for providing comic relief when I was up to my ears in data. I love you both.
Thanks to Lauren Novak for being my study buddy, and entertaining random
conversations during break time. Thanks to "The Spice Rack" for participating in my
informal surveys and for being the most amazing group of friends a girl could ask for.
Finally I would like to give a special thanks to my sister Mercedes Douglass for
not only reading every iteration of this thesis, even when she was tired, but also for being
my best friend and favorite ―problem-solvers‖ debate partner.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ x
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1
The Cultural Construction of Sexuality ....................................................................... 1
Investigating the Topic of Female Sexual Addiction .................................................. 7
Preparing for the Research Process ........................................................................... 10
The Evolving Research Design ................................................................................. 12
BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW: FEMALE SEXUALITY,
PATHOLOGY, AND THE RISE OF SEXUAL ADDICTION ...................................... 14
The Problematic Female Body .................................................................................. 14
Defining Sexuality ..................................................................................................... 16
The Western Relationship between Commodity and Being ..................................... 18
Women and Sexuality: The Tumultuous Relationship Throughout History ............. 20
What is Sexual Addiction? ........................................................................................ 23
Medical Intervention ................................................................................................. 27
METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 33
Research Design and Methods .................................................................................. 33
Interview Methods ..................................................................................................... 34
Research Setting ........................................................................................................ 35
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Recruitment and Inclusion Criteria ........................................................................... 36
Recruitment Methods ................................................................................................ 37
Sampling .................................................................................................................... 38
Data Collection and Management ............................................................................. 39
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 40
Data Limitations ........................................................................................................ 41
Outline of Chapters ................................................................................................... 42
CHAPTER ONE: CONCEPTUALIZING NORMALITY: WHEN PERSONAL
MEANING-MAKING MEETS THE BELIEFS OF OTHERS IN DEFINING THE
BOUNDARIES OF APPROPRIATE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND
HYPERSEXUALITY. ...................................................................................................... 44
Personal Meaning-Making in Definitions of Normality ........................................... 44
The Malleability of Social Norms ............................................................................. 46
The Role of a ―Community‖ in Shaping Beliefs about Normality ............................ 53
The Role of "Others" In Defining the Boundaries of Acceptable Sexual Behavior . 58
Religious Beliefs about Appropriate Sexuality ......................................................... 59
Media Messages and Beliefs about ―Appropriate‖ Sexuality ................................... 62
Family and Beliefs about Appropriate Sexuality ...................................................... 64
The Role of Caregivers in Fostering Beliefs of Sexual Normality ............................ 66
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Friends and Partners and Beliefs about Appropriate Sexuality ................................. 69
Discussion: So What Is normal? ............................................................................... 73
CHAPTER TWO: RECONSTRUCTING GENDER ROLES: THE INTERPLAY
BETWEEN CULTURAL DISCOURSES AND FEMALE CONCEPTUALIZATIONS
OF SEXUAL ADDICTION AND APPROPRIATE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR ................. 76
Sexually Addicted or Hypersexual? .......................................................................... 80
Unrealistic Cultural Constructions of Sexuality ........................................................ 85
Masking Transgressive Behaviors: The Feminine Manipulation and Reinforcing of
Heteronormativity ..................................................................................................... 93
Discussion: Confronting Heteronormativity ........................................................... 102
CHAPTER THREE: THERAPIST AND FEMALE VIEWS ON SEXUAL ADDICTION,
TREATMENT SEEKING, AND THE ROLE OF ADDICTION TREATMENT ......... 104
Therapist Conceptualizations of Sexual Addiction ................................................. 105
Cultural Misperceptions about Sexual Addiction and Treatment ........................... 111
Female Beliefs about Treatment Seeking ................................................................ 120
Female Views on the Benefits of Treatment ........................................................... 127
The Differing Views of Women and Therapist‘s on Sexual Addiction and ........... 129
The Role of Addiction Treatment ........................................................................... 129
Therapists Narratives on the DSM and Treatment Seeking .................................... 132
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Discussion: The Role of Addiction Treatment ........................................................ 134
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 138
Applying this Study in a Broader Academic Context ............................................. 141
Suggestions for Future Research ............................................................................. 145
APPENDIX A: IRB APPROVAL LETTER .................................................................. 148
APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW GUIDES ......................................................................... 150
Questions for Semi-Structured Interview with Female Sexual Addicts: ................ 151
Questions for Semi-Structured Interview with Therapists: ..................................... 152
REFERENCES: .............................................................................................................. 153

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................ 2
Figure 2 The Interplay Between Cultural and Medical Discourses and Individual
Behavior ............................................................................................................................ 77
Figure 3 Opposing Viewpoints of Women and Therapists ............................................. 129

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