The moderator role of neuroticism in the relationship between sexual thoughts and affective response during sexual activity, and sexual functioning: A study with heterosexual and lesbian women

Abstract

Personality traits, automatic thoughts and affective states play a major role on female sexual functioning. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the moderator role of personality traits on the relationship between automatic thoughts and affective states, and sexual functioning, in lesbian and heterosexual women. The current study aimed to test the moderator role of personality traits (e.g. neuroticism) on the relationship between automatic thoughts and affective states during sexual activity, and sexual functioning in a sample of lesbian and heterosexual women. Nine-hundred and forty-one women (697 heterosexual women; 244 lesbian women) completed an online survey about cognitive factors and sexual functioning. Participants completed the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Automatic Thoughts Scale from the Sexual Modes Questionnaire, the Positive Affect – Negative Affect Scale, and the Female Sexual Functioning Index. Main findings suggested neuroticism, sexual abuse thoughts, failure and disengagement thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, and positive and negative affective states as significant predictors of female sexual functioning, regardless of sexual orientation. Moreover, women with higher levels of sexual abuse thoughts and higher absence of erotic thoughts, or lower levels of positive affective states, when presented higher levels of neuroticism, also reported a decrease in their sexual functioning, regardless of sexual orientation. Overall, neuroticism acts as moderator on the relationship between sexual abuse thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts and positive affective states, and sexual functioning, regardless of sexual orientation. Implications for improve sex therapy outcomes are discussed.