Midlife sexuality: The need to integrate biological, psychological, and social perspectives

Abstract

In the past, people believed that sexual desire and Physical, hormonal, neural, and vascular changes associated @wisexual functioning became unimportant with age. with aging can affect sexual functioning and behavior. Age is This is no longer the prevailing view.’ Although there is a often associated with a decline in health that can have effects gradual decline in sexual activity and sexual interest begin- on sexuality. It is difficult to study the effects of aging indening in midlife at approximately the age of 50 and acceler- pendent of the consequences of disease or the gradual degenating after the age of 70, sexuality remains an important erative processes that occur with age.5 aspect of life into old age.A minority of people in their 80s or 90s do, however, remain sexually active and have sexual PSYCHOLOGICAL BEINGS intercourse as often as once a week or once a month.” All people are psychological beings with a gender identity, Even relatively healthy adults experience a decline in personality traits and characteristics, preferences and attitudes, sexual activity and interest as they age? A number of factors concepts of themselves and others, cognitive abilities, different associated with age can contribute to this decline such as: life experiences, and varying moods. Their states of mind-as availability of a sexual partner; interest of a sexual partner; well as what happens to thenr-can influence their hormonal negative stereotypes about aging; and, of state and their psychological well-being. course, diseases and their treatment. For “There is no Whether a person is single or in a relationwomen, menopause and hormone replace- ship and whether a relatiohnship is traditional ment therapy may also play a part. Thus, a age limit on or non-traditional, socially sanctioned or not, complex set of biological, psychological, and may affect the degree to which individuals social variables (only some of which are sexuality and feel entitled to express their sexuality their cited here) can influence sexuality in midlife willingness to seek assistance for sexual proband beyond. sexual activity. ” lems, and the response of professionals to The reality of this interplay among biological, psychological, and social factors is complicated. Research tends to focus on this aspect or that aspect, with individual studies focusing only on a handful of factors at a time. But a truly comprehensive understanding of sexuality in midlife and beyond necessitates consideration of many dimensions within each of these domains as well as an understanding of their overlap and interaction. People are simultaneously the product of biological, psychological, and social influences. Sexual functioning involves a complex interaction of these influences.4 Sexual expression and the meaning of sexuality go far beyond the procreation needs of the human species.