Abstract
Background:
Previous research indicated that a positive body image is indirectly related to young adult women’s sexual satisfaction through protecting them from appearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy. The aim of the present study was to investigate thin-ideal internalization as a potential factor associated with positive body image, and subsequently ap-pearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy and sexual satisfaction.
Participants and procedure:
Using a cross-sectional design, 250 young adult Dutch women (age: M = 22.98, SD = 2.98) filled in an online survey measuring the relevant variables.
Results:
A path analysis revealed that lower thin-ideal internalization was related to greater sexual satisfaction through a more posi-tive body image and less appearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy, and also consecutively via both.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that thin-ideal internalization may trigger processes that are detrimental to sexual satisfaction in women. Consequently, strengthening sociocultural pressure resistance skills in young adult women could facilitate the de-velopment and maintenance of positive sexual experiences.
Previous research indicated that a positive body image is indirectly related to young adult women’s sexual satisfaction through protecting them from appearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy. The aim of the present study was to investigate thin-ideal internalization as a potential factor associated with positive body image, and subsequently ap-pearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy and sexual satisfaction.
Participants and procedure:
Using a cross-sectional design, 250 young adult Dutch women (age: M = 22.98, SD = 2.98) filled in an online survey measuring the relevant variables.
Results:
A path analysis revealed that lower thin-ideal internalization was related to greater sexual satisfaction through a more posi-tive body image and less appearance-related self-consciousness during physical intimacy, and also consecutively via both.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that thin-ideal internalization may trigger processes that are detrimental to sexual satisfaction in women. Consequently, strengthening sociocultural pressure resistance skills in young adult women could facilitate the de-velopment and maintenance of positive sexual experiences.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 81-87 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Health Psychology Report |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 24 Oct 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 The Author(s).
Keywords
- Sexual health
- appearance ideals
- self-attitudes
