Self-Objectification, Body Self-Consciousness during Sexual Activities and Sexual Satisfaction in College Women. Body Image

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-17-2014

Publication Title

Body Image

Volume

11

Issue

4

First page number:

509

Last page number:

515

Abstract

Few studies examine the mechanisms that link body image to sexual satisfaction in women. Using the tenets of objectification theory, this study investigated the relationships between body surveillance, body shame, body self-consciousness during sexual activities, and sexual satisfaction in an ethnically diverse sample of American female college students (N = 368), while controlling for relationship status and body mass index. Results based on self-report measures of these constructs suggested that body shame and body self-consciousness during sexual activity were negatively correlated with sexual satisfaction. Additionally, path analysis indicated that body surveillance predicted increased body self-consciousness during sexual activity, partially mediated by body shame. Body self-consciousness, in turn, predicted decreased sexual satisfaction. Overall, study findings highlight the negative consequences of body image concerns for women's sexual satisfaction.

Keywords

Body shame; Body surveillance; Body self-consciousness during sexual activities; Objectification theory; Sexual satisfaction

Disciplines

Community Psychology

Language

English

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