This qualitative study explored how 629 married Christian women who experienced sexual pain or dysfunction construct meaning around sexual satisfaction and desire, using reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses.
Thematic analysis revealed that sexual functioning in this population is shaped by overlapping sociocultural, biological, psychological, relational, and situational factors; emotionally and spiritually supportive relationships appeared to buffer the negative effects of diminished sexual functioning.
Self-selected sample of Christian women limits generalizability; qualitative design precludes causal inference; the Evangelical Purity Movement context may not apply broadly across other religious or cultural groups.
When assessing married Christian women with sexual pain or dysfunction, clinicians should screen for religious and cultural influences — particularly Purity Movement messaging — alongside standard biopsychosocial factors. Interventions that foster emotional and spiritual support within the relationship may help mitigate the impact of sexual difficulties.
