%0 Journal Article %T Funcionamento sexual e ciclo-de-vida em mulheres portuguesas %A Pechorro %A Pedro %A Diniz %A Ant¨®nio %A Vieira %A Rui %J An¨¢lise Psicol¨®gica %D 2010 %I Scientific Electronic Library Online %X the purpose of this study was to investigate changes in sexual function across the life span in a sample of portuguese women, and the prevalence of sexual problems. the study consisted of a sample of 154 portuguese women (range 26 to 70 years), divided into three groups according to their ages: 26-35 years (n=66), 40-49 years (n=45), and 54-70 years (n=43). the evaluation was carried out with two self-report questionnaires: the female sexual function index (fsfi; rosen et al., 2000), with it¡¯s domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain, and with the index of sexual satisfaction (iss; hudson et al., 1981), that measures couple sexual satisfaction. no differences were found between the 26-35 years group and the 40-49 years group regarding the fsfi and it¡¯s domains, and the iss. when comparing the first two groups with the 54-70 years group statistically significant differences were found in the fsfi total score and in it¡¯s domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction; no differences were found in the pain domain. statistically significant differences were also found in the iss total score. there is a significant decline in female sexual function and in sexual satisfaction associated with older age and menopause. %K female sexuality %K life span %K sexual function %K sexual satisfaction. %U http://www.scielo.gpeari.mctes.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0870-82312010000400009&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en