Download Poster - Indiana University

Does Acculturation Influence Participation in Sexual Psychophysiology Testing Among Canadian
Asian Women?
1
Woo ,
2
Brotto ,
Morag A. Yule, BSc, BA, Jane S.T.
MA, & Lori A.
PhD
1
2
Departments of Psychology and Obstetrics & Gynaecology , University of British Columbia, Canada
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed the importance of considering
acculturation when investigating sexuality in East Asian
individuals. The purpose of this study was to explore the
potential role of acculturation, sexual attitudes, and sexual
behaviours in predicting whether or not Canadian East Asian
women might participate in physiological sexual arousal testing
using the vaginal photoplethysmograph (VPP). Overall, this
study replicates our prior finding of ethnicity differences in sexual
behaviour and response. However, a novel finding in this study
was the lack of a significant difference between Asian women
who did versus those who did not participate in
psychophysiological sexual testing, which may have implications
when considering barriers to cancer screening measures such
as the Papinicolau (Pap) test.
Results
East Asians Only
Caucasian and East Asian group differences on Sexual
Beliefs (Fig 1), Sexual Function (Figs 2 & 3), and Sexual
Activity (Fig 4)
SBIQ Scores by Ethnic Group^
35
20
Ethnic Composition of Those who Chose to Participate in Phase 2
18
30
Caucasian
East Asian
% agreed to Phase 2
22%
37%
% declined Phase 2
78%
63%
16
14
25
12
20
10
15
8
6
10
4
5
2
0
Conclusion
0
Caucasian
Introduction
East Asian
Figure 1
• Recent studies have shown that Caucasians are more
sexually permissive than East Asians, and that higher
mainstream acculturation in East Asian women was
associated with greater sexual knowledge, greater sexual
desire, greater sexual satisfaction and less sexual pain.
• It has also been shown that East Asian women have
significantly lower rates of Pap testing than Caucasian
women, and that Pap testing is associated with sexual
permissiveness in East Asian women.
• Because of the similar personal nature of cancer screening
measures such as the Pap test and sexual arousal testing
using the VPP, the role of the relationship between ethnicity
and acculturation with sexual attitudes and behaviours is
explored as potential predictors of participation in sexual
psychophysiology research.
Total FSFI Scores by Ethnic Group**
• There was no significant difference between East Asian
women who did, versus those who did not participate in phase 2
on any measure
• Acculturation to Western culture was not related to
participation in phase 2, nor was it correlated with level of
physiological arousal.
Caucasian
East Asian
Figure 2
***p < .001, **p < .01, *p < .05,
^p = .06 (approaching significance,
and likely to become significant with
a larger sample size)
FSFI Scores by Ethnic Group
6
5
**
*
**
• Overall, there were no significant group differences between
those who did and did not participate in Phase 2
• Contrary to our hypothesis, East Asian women were more
likely than Caucasian women to participate in the
psychophysiological phase of the study. Similarly, we expected
women with higher sexual knowledge and sexual functioning to
be more likely to go on to Phase 2, which was not the case
• These unexpected results may be due to small sample size, or
possibly to the tendency of Asian culture to place more meaning
into context than Western culture. This may mean that East
Asian subjects might have interpreted the introduction of Phase
2 as a request or demand, and felt a higher obligation to
participate than did Caucasian subjects
^
4
Caucasian
3
East Asian
2
Implications
1
Method
0
Arousal
• 28 female university students participated. 9 were Caucasian,
19 were of East Asian descent (Chinese, Japanese or Korean).
• Participants filled out a battery of questionnaires in exchange
for course credit, including:
Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA)
Sexual Beliefs and Information Questionnaire (SBIQ)
Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI)
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)
• Participants were then informed of the opportunity to
participate in a second phase of the study, in which they would
view neutral and erotic audiovisual films while their vaginal
blood flow patterns were monitored.
• Those choosing to participate in Phase 2 also filled out a film
scale before and after the erotic film measuring their physical
and subjective arousal, and a $10 honorarium was provided.
Lubrication
Satisfaction
Pain
Figure 3
Sexual Activity Comparisons by Ethnic Group
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Caucasian
• These findings suggest that East Asian women are not less
likely to participate in sexual psychophysiological research,
despite, perhaps, having less permissive sexual attitudes and
behaviours compared to their Caucasian counterparts.
• Because of the similarity in the personal nature of Pap
smear testing and VPP sexual arousal testing, the data have
implications for educating East Asian women on the
importance of Pap smear testing, despite attitudes towards
sexuality that might be acting as a barrier to such reproductive
health behaviours.
• There may be other barriers preventing East Asian women
from performing Pap smear testing that do not involve
discomfort with the physical aspects of the procedure.
Asian
% who are
% who have
currently sexually recently engaged
active
in touching with
clothing removed
% who have
recently
performed oral
sex on their
partner
% who have
recently engaged
in intercourse
References
• Brotto, L. A., et al. (2005). Acculturation and Sexual Function in Asian
Women. Arch Sex Beh 34, 613-626.
• Woo, J.S.T. & Brotto, L.A. Unpublished data
Figure 4
Supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research