Objectives: Although the literature widely documents the benefits of masturbation, it remains a stigmatized and controversial topic with limited studies on women's experiences and related psychosocial factors. This study aimed to assess female genital knowledge, factors associated with masturbation frequency, and the relationship between masturbation frequency during adolescence and orgasm frequency during partnered sexual practices. Method: A web-based survey was completed by 469 Portuguese cisgender adult women (M = 27.2 years). Results: Most of the sample (74.2%) exhibited an average or low level of knowledge of the female genitalia. Roughly 96% acknowledged having masturbated at some point in their lives, with an average age of onset at 14.1 years. The most common frequency of masturbation reported was once a week (25.9%). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed significant associations between the frequency of masturbation and age, place of residence, relationship status, attendance of religious services, female genital knowledge, female genital self-image, frequency of masturbation during adolescence, frequency of orgasm during masturbation, and during partnered sexual activity. Frequency of masturbation during adolescence was significantly and positively correlated with orgasm frequency during partnered sexual activity and vaginal penetration. Conclusions: These results emphasize the importance of considering multiple factors in the understanding of masturbation, thus aiding in its destigmatization and intervention.
Henriques et al. (2025) studied this question.