Sexual desire in men has not received the same attention as female low sexual desire, and the prevalence remains uncertain. It is likely to be higher than currently recognized as anxiety, shame or embarrassment may make it more difficult for men to seek professional help.
Female sexual desire has received much attention from the media and has been extensively researched, but very little has been done with male sexual desire. Compared to the published scientific literature on low sexual desire in women, very little has been written in parallel experience with men. (Brotto L.A. 2010).
New research being conducted by Elaine George is looking at the range of sexual desire in men and will attempt to assess personal levels of distress related to their sexual desire and interest, and what may encourage or prevent men from seeking assistance.
The Male Sexual Desire Questionnaire has been developed from other validated questionnaires that have been used in the female population with proven reliability. The questions have been modified and adapted to target the male population. It is comprised of 20 questions that have been specifically developed for this research based on items from other questionnaires.
This research will be an exploratory study of the range of sexual desire in men. The objectives are to:
ï‚§ Determine level of male sexual desire or interest over the past 6 months.
ï‚§ Assess personal levels of distress related to their sexual desire or interest.
ï‚§ Evaluate the help-seeking behaviour among the above group of men.
Given that there are a number of aetiological factors that can create low sexual desire, this research will attempt to assess which factors may be of more significance and also the correlating amount of distress the person experiences. Recognising and understanding the myriad of factors that contribute towards desire is essential if we are to effectively provide effective treatment and management for couples where desire fluctuates or where there becomes a discrepancy in desire. Furthermore the subsequent research will attempt to understand what desire actually means to men – how they perceive and interpret sexual desire.