Widow’s lived experiences about challenges related to their emotional and sexual needs: A phenomenological study

Abstract

Introduction: Widowhood is a stressful event for women that is often associated with loss of health, human relations, and financial support. This study was conducted with aim to explain the experiences of Iranian widows about their effort to meet emotional and sexual needs. Methods: This study was performed with descriptive phenomenology approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 widows who were selected by purpose-based method. Colaizzi’s method was used for analysis of data. Results: After analyzing of interviews, three main concepts along with sub-concepts were identified that main concepts included: Motherhood vs. Femininity, Sexual needs: apparent but not spoken issue, and ambiguous future of the second marriage. Conclusion: The results demonstrated a close-up shot of Iranian widows’ problems regarding unsuitable cultural and social beliefs about their emotional and sexual needs. Widows described their sexual needs as obvious but inexpressible regarding to the limitations of society. They faced a dilemma of need and fear to meet their sexual needs which is aggravated during the time after their spouses’ death. They described unmet emotional needs as mothering role vs. femininity and explained how their need for nonsexual touch and emotional support by men faced them with the hesitancy about their role as a mother. The results showed that how the social norms force widows toward a nonsexual life to support their children. © 2017, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.