Research

Below are summaries of some of our ongoing and previous research studies. Visit our Study Participation Information page for details on becoming a participant in our research. Thank you for your interest!

Ongoing Research

The Intimacy Study 

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how intimate interactions relate to satisfaction in romantic relationships. This study is a couples study, so you and your partner would both participate. This is also a potential treatment study; you might be randomized to the treatment group or a waitlist group at your time of enrollment. In either group you will be asked to take surveys at three time-points. You will be asked about demographics, your relationship and sexuality, and to identify interactions that make you feel intimacy/intimate with your partner. Both you and your partner must be 18 or older. This study will include 1 Zoom session with a researcher and two online surveys over 4 weeks. The first session will take approximately 1 hour. You will be asked to complete the first online survey two weeks after your first session and the final survey 28 days after your first session. You and your partner will receive $50 for the completion of the full study ($25 each). Please contact mestonlab@austin.utexas.edu for more information or fill out this survey if you are interested in participating. 

Previous Research

Physiological Studies on Sexual Function

The Sympathetic Nervous System and Women’s Sexual Arousal

Heart Rate Variability and Sexual Arousal

Anxiety and Sexual Arousal 

Hysterectomy and Sexual Arousal

Nicotine and Sexual Arousal

Serotonin and Sexual Function

Dopamine, Norepinephrine, and Sexual Arousal

Testosterone and Sexual Arousal

Oxytocin and Monogamy

Psychological Studies on Sexual Function

Sexual Motivation

Self-Focused Attention and Sexual Arousal

Expectancies and Sexual Arousal

Social Desirability Influences on Self-Reported Sexuality

Depression and Sexual Functioning

Excitation Transfer and Sexual Attraction

Ethnic Influences on Sexuality

Religion and Sexuality

Sexual Impairments and Subjective Sexual Well-Being

Recreational Erectile Dysfunction Medication Use in Male Undergraduates

Studies on The Relationship Between Physiological and Psychological Sexual Arousal in Women

The Relationship Between Physiological and Psychological Sexual Arousal in Women

Treatment Outcome Studies for Sexual Dysfunction

A Treatment-Outcome Study for Sexually Dysfunctional Women with a History of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA)

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Women with Female Sexual Arousal Disorder

Exercise for Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Side Effects

L-arginine Gultamate Plus Yohimbine For Female Sexual Arousal Disorder in Post-menopausal Women

Gingko Biloba Extract for Female Sexual Arousal Disorder

The Role of Placebo in the Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction

Effects of Smoking Cessation on Sexual Health in Men

Studies on the Sexual Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA)

Cognitive Studies in Women with CSA Histories

Studies on the Sexual Self-Schema of Women with CSA Histories

Studies on Sympathetic Nervous System Activation Among CSA Survivors

Research on Body Image and Esteem Among CSA Survivors

Research on Identification as an Abuse Survivor

Questionnaire Development

The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)

The Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (SSS-W)

The Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Men (SSS-M)

The Cues for Sexual Desire Scale (CSDS)

The Why Have Sex Questionnaire (YSEX?)

The Why Have Sex Short-Form Questionnaire (YSEX?-SF)

The Sexual Disgust Inventory (SDI)

The Sexual Dysfunction Attributions Scale (SDAS)

Validation of the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire (MFSQ) in an Italian sample

Studies Based on Evolutionary Theory

Sexual Disgust

Exploitability

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