Title: "Baring the Body in the Bedroom": Body Image, Sexual Self-Schemas, and Sexual Functioning among College Women and Men
Abstract: A growing literature points to the role of body-image attitudes in human sexual functioning. Specifically body dissatisfaction and excessive psychological investment in ones physical appearance may lead to physical self-consciousness and body exposure avoidance during sexual relations which in turn may impair sexual desire enjoyment and performance. The present research with 145 college women and 118 college men evaluated a contextual body-image measure the Body Exposure during Sexual Activities Questionnaire (BESAQ) which assesses anxious/avoidant body focus during sex. Findings supported the BESAQs reliability and validity. Associations with sexual functioning were stronger for the BESAQ than for trait body-image measures. For both sexes better sexual functioning was related to less anxious/avoidant body focus and stronger sexual self-schemas. Physical selfconsciousness during sexual relations focused substantially on weight and gender-relevant attributes. (authors)
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 175
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot