The Berenbaum Lab
Sex and gender matter
Current Studies
We are continuing to study people originally seen as children to see how they do in adulthood. Of particular interest is the dating and romantic interests of teenage girls and young women with CAH. For example, do they start dating later than girls and young women without CAH? Who do they choose to date once they enter the dating world?
Many girls and women – and their parents – wonder about these questions. By continuing this research, we will be in a better position to address these questions in the future.
Currently, we are investigating whether prenatal androgens play a role in sexual orientation. In previous studies, women with CAH reported more heteroflexible fantasies and behaviors than their un-affected siblings. (Zucker et al., 1996) We are starting to look at differences between women with different kinds of CAH, (Classical, Non-classical), as well as various social factors that might also influence sexual orientation (e.g. family religiosity, willingness to take risks). Because women with CAH show greater variation in sexual orientation, they will help us understand female sexuality.