Sexual Esteem Research Articles

Predictors of genital self-image in Iranian women: a cross-sectional study.

Several factors influence women's perception of their genitalia. Understanding the elements associated with genital self‑image (GSI) can significantly contribute to enhancing women's sexual experiences. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the predictors of GSI in Iranian women. This online cross-sectional study was conducted on 722 healthy married reproductive-aged women with records in Amol-Iran health centers during 2022. Participants were selected using a random sampling method from all the healthcare centers. Data were collected through a checklist of socio-demographic and obstetrics information, the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSI), the 6-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-6), the Female Sexual Distress Scale - revised (FSDS-R), and the Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire (MSSCQ) for assessing sexual esteem and sexual satisfaction. The general linear model was employed to assess the impact of each independent variable (socio-demographic and obstetrics characteristics, sexual function, sexual distress, sexual esteem, and sexual satisfaction) on the dependent variable (GSI). The mean score of GSI was 21.70 ± 3.82. Based on the Pearson correlation test, there were significant correlations between GSI and sexual function, sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction, and sexual distress (r = 0.20, r = 0.43, r = 0.42, r = -0.28 respectively; p < 0.001). Using the adjusted general linear model, with the increasing scores of sexual esteem and sexual satisfaction, the GSI score also increased (β = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.27, β = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.22, respectively; p < 0.001). Additionally, age, abnormal vaginal discharge, genital feedback from partners, and satisfaction with body image were identified as other predictors of GSI. Based on the study results, it was observed that sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction, and certain socio-demographic variables served as predictors of GSI. Consequently, considering the potential impact of GSI on various aspects of women's lives, healthcare providers can enhance their counseling techniques to improve GSI by gaining an appropriate understanding of the factors that influence it.

Experiences of vaginal lengthening treatment and sexual well-being in women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome: An interview study.

To explore how women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome experience dilation or surgical vaginal lengthening treatment, and their current sexual well-being. A qualitative interview study. Denmark. Women aged ≥25 years diagnosed with MRKH syndrome. Semi-structured video interviews were conducted with 18 women. Interviews lasted a median of 92 min and were digitally recorded, transcribed and anonymised. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. A qualitative analysis of women's experiences. The analysis identified three themes. Firstly, Experiences with dilation treatment revealed dilation as an awkward routine, especially for adolescents living with parents and yet to sexually debut. While some experienced successful vaginal lengthening, others faced treatment failure leading to frustration and self-blame. Secondly, Experiences with neovaginal surgery described the procedure as extremely painful but resulting in a 'normal size' vagina. Some women felt that the procedure had negatively impacted their self-confidence, and all underscored the importance of maturity before opting for surgery. Lastly, Current sex life and sexual well-being indicated a well-functioning sex life for many women, but with reported low sexual confidence and genital self-image due to the perceived 'deviance' of their genitalia. For women with MRKH syndrome, vaginal lengthening treatment, whether through dilation or surgery, may result in a 'normal size' vagina. However, according to the women's experiences, vaginal lengthening treatment does not adequately foster positive sexual esteem and genital self-image.

Body Image Concern, Sexual Esteem and Marital Satisfaction in Young Married Adults

This correlational research aims to study body image concerns, sexual esteem and marital satisfaction in young married adults. The sample consist of N = 163 young married adults from Lahore, Pakistan. The measures included Body Image Concern Scale (He et al., 2017), Sexual Esteem Scale (Snell &amp; Papini, 1989) and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (Fowers &amp; Olson, 1993) in addition to demographic information sheet. The findings revealed that body image concerns negatively (-0.34, p &lt; .001) while sexual esteem positively (0.42, p &lt; .001) relates to marital satisfaction. Significant gender differences revealed that men tend to have better sexual esteem (t = 2.90, df = 161, p &lt;0.01) and marital satisfaction (t = 2.01, df = 161, p &lt;0.05) than women. Increase in total family income, marital satisfaction tends to increase. The mediation analysis revealed that sexual esteem serves as a mediator between concerns about body image and marital satisfaction. The study implies potential development of therapeutic interventions for enhancing marriage satisfaction and addressing societal stigmatization of body ideals for improved marital quality.

Development of a Screening Tool for Assessing Sexual Difficulties Among Patients with Parkinson's Disease: The PD-SDS.

People with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) exhibit various sexual difficulties (SDs) that may be due to motor and/or nonmotor symptoms or the use of antiparkinsonian medication. SDs are often underreported by PwPD and underexplored by physicians. This study aimed to explore the SDs experienced by PwPD and create a scale for assessing them. A corpus of items was generated from semistructured interviews to represent the experience of PwPD as closely as possible. The number of items was reduced according to the psychometric properties, and the scale's structure was subsequently examined. The final phase consisted of measuring the scale's validity and reliability. After assessment of the original corpus of 59 items by PwPD and clinicians, a 25-item version was obtained. The analysis of item properties led to the removal of fifteen items. An exploratory factor analysis of the first 10-item version with a first PwPD sample identified four components of the SDs among PwPD: "low sexual esteem," "sexual displeasure," "impact on sexual position" and "hypersexuality." With a second PwPD sample, a confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a satisfactory fit between the model with four components and the data. The 10-item scale had good internal consistency and good temporal reliability. The Parkinson's Disease Sexual Difficulties Scale (PD-SDS) is a valid screening tool that facilitates the investigation of and communication about PD-related SDs. It is intended to improve the identification of vulnerable PwPD and to target the domain of sexual experience impacted by PD to better support PwPD.

The virility-fertility tradeoff: effects of fatherhood on (precarious) masculinity, sexual esteem, and sexual depression

ABSTRACT The stress, exhaustion, and negative impacts on sexual relationships associated with parenthood are well documented, but father’s perceptions of these changes are underexplored. Since sexuality and physicality are cornerstones of traditional/hegemonic masculine norms, changes in these domains resulting from fatherhood may produce concerns about masculinity maintenance and loss of masculine status. However, fatherhood provides clear evidence of a man’s sexual capability and virility – highly valued masculine traits. Therefore, fatherhood could theoretically make perceptions of masculinity more stable. The present study compared fathers and non-fathers on perceptions of masculinity and sexuality, and explored potential predictors of sexual esteem versus sexual depression during fatherhood. A sample of primarily heterosexual, White North American fathers and non-fathers participated in an online survey (N = 564) including measures of sexual esteem, sexual depression, and precarious manhood belief. Fathers were also asked to report their perceptions surrounding parenthood. Fathers endorsed precarious manhood beliefs less than non-fathers, and reported higher levels of both sexual esteem and sexual depression. Among fathers, a high personal sex drive predicted sexual esteem, while parental stress, low partner sex drive, and low self-perceived masculinity after parenthood predicted fathers’ sexual depression.

Social Perceptions of Masculinity and Sexual Esteem Are Impacted by Viagra Use, Testosterone, and Sexual Performance.

Sexual behaviors play a role in the social construction of masculinity. Moreover, this stereotype has been capitalized upon by pharmaceutical companies, as well as those that sell products not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for purposes of marketing sexual medicines. Stereotypical notions of masculinity, however, also emphasize the importance of self-reliance, which may cause some to look unfavorably upon the use of sexual medicine. Consistent with this notion, a male target was viewed as more masculine when his female partner consistently reached orgasm, unless he had no history of erectile dysfunction (ED), but was taking Viagra anyway (Experiment 1; N = 522). In addition, when his partner consistently reached orgasm, ratings of his sexual esteem were also lower if he used Viagra than if he did not, but only if he had no history of ED. In Experiment 2 (N = 711), although there was no effect of a male target's use of testosterone, social perception of his masculinity and sexual esteem increased as his "natural" levels of testosterone increased. In addition, exploratory analysis revealed that if the male target had low (but not normal or high) "natural" levels of testosterone, ratings of his masculinity were higher if his female partner consistently had an orgasm, which suggests that female orgasm served to "rescue" masculinity. Because expectations about drugs drive their use, it is important to address preconceived notions about the use of sexual medicines for purposes of enhancing masculinity and sexual esteem, as the social perception of their use is much more complex.

Reasons for Genital Dissatisfaction in a Sample of Brazilian Men.

Genital self-image (GSI) involves subjective perceptions, experiences, and feelings of individuals regarding their genitalia. A negative GSI contributes to lower sexual esteem and, consequently, negative sexual experiences and sexual dysfunction. In men, self-perception may be influenced by several factors, including penis size or shape, personal experiences, body image, general health status, sex education, and even the media they consume. This study aimed to understand the reasons that lead to dissatisfaction with GSI among Brazilian men. With a mixed approach, we present male perceptions regarding dissatisfaction with GSI captured from the following question: "If you are dissatisfied with your genitals, tell us for what reason(s)? (Optional)," which integrated the last questionnaire element of the original survey. Brazilian men over 18years of age from different Brazilian states were eligible. In this analysis, 376 responses were obtained. The data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The participants expressed the reasons for dissatisfaction, which were grouped into two categories: (1) anatomical aspects and beliefs in the construction of GSI and (2) functional aspects. The results offer an understanding of men's perceptions of their genitals and may aid in clinical practice and research on how Brazilian men perceive their genitals. It is possible to improve knowledge about sexual health and increase positivity regarding genital perception by providing information about the reasons that lead to dissatisfaction with the genitals.

Psychosexual dysfunction in male patients with cannabis dependence and synthetic cannabinoid dependence.

There are contradicting reports regarding the relationship between cannabis use and male sexual functions with almost no data about synthetic cannabinoids (SC) and its effect on male sexual functions. This study investigates psychological concerns related to male sexual functions among cannabis and SC users. The research aims to assess different sexual functions and aspects of sexual psychopathology in cannabis and SCs dependent men compared to controls. Thirty male patients with cannabis dependence, thirty male patients with SCs dependence and thirty matched controls from the outpatient clinic of Kasr Al Ainy hospital, Egypt, were assessed using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV TR Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and Sexuality scale. The means of IIEF questionnaire in the cannabis and SC group were significant lower than the means of the control group (P < .001) except the orgasmic function in cannabis group (P = .052). In the SCs group, sexual depression was higher and preoccupation lower than the cannabis (P < .020; P < .003, respectively) and control groups (P < .001; P < .001, respectively). The duration and dose of intake of cannabis and SCs correlated significant with sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation and all domains of IIEF. Cannabis and SC dependence were associated with lower erectile function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction, and lower orgasmic functions in the SC group than controls. Both groups showed higher sexual depression, lower sexual esteem and sexual preoccupation than controls. SC has a higher negative impact on male sexual functions and psychopathology than cannabis.

A Quantitative Study of Intimate Partner Violence Context: Is Self-Compassion Related to Sexual Esteem?

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as physical, psychological, or sexual violence perpetrated by a partner. This conduct is harmful and has long-term negative consequences for people who encounter it, particularly psychological illnesses. This has an impact on judgment, self-satisfaction with sexuality, and sexual function. This can influence how people evaluate their relationships and sexuality, how individuals assess their worth in a sexual context, which is thought to be related to self-compassion in individuals. This study drew 227 participants, consisting of men and women aged 20 to 30 who have been or are now in a dating relationship for at least one year. Purposive sampling was used to collect the research sample. The Conflict Tactic Scale Revised-2 (CTS-2) measurement tool, the Multidimensional Sexual Self-Concept Questionnaire (MSSCQ) subscale sexual esteem, and the Self-Compassion Scale were utilized for data collection. The direction of the association between variables is positive, indicating that the higher the level of self-compassion ability, the higher the level of sexual-esteem capacity in persons, and vice versa.

Psychosexual care could protect and promote sexual well-being in women undergoing infertility treatment: A randomised controlled trial

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of psychosexual care using the conceptual framework of the Salutogenic Model in promoting sexual well-being in women undergoing infertility treatment. This was a two-armed parallel randomised controlled trial which conducted with seventy primary infertility women undergoing infertility treatment assigned to receive either psychosexual care (intervention group, n = 35) or routine care (control group, n = 35). The effects of psychosexual care were estimated by the t-test with the intention-to-treat principle. Sexual function was improved in the intervention group and significantly reduced in the control group. Sexual satisfaction was preserved in the intervention group and significantly reduced in the control group. Sexual esteem and self-efficacy significantly improved in women after psychosexual care compared with routine care. Although depression levels were improved in the intervention group, the difference in depression levels was not statistically significant between the intervention and the control groups. However, sense of coherence was significantly improved in the intervention group compared with the control group. Psychosexual care protected and promoted sexual well-being in women undergoing infertility treatment. Application of the health-oriented Salutogenesis Model may be useful to develop care interventions that enable women to reach a state of sexual well-being.

The Association between Fertility Status and Women’s Sexual Esteem: A Methodological and Analytical Study

Purpose: The present study aims (1) to test the psychometrical properties of the Turkish Sexual Esteem subscale of Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire in men and women and (2) to examine the association of fertility and sexual esteem in Turkish women.&#x0D; &#x0D; Material and Methods: The full sample was utilized for the psychometric validation, that is reliability and construct validity of the Turkish Sexual Esteem subscale, consisting of 335 men and women. A subsample consisting of 214 fertile and infertile Turkish women, was used for the association study. Data were collected by an online questionnaire. We performed descriptive statistics on both samples; confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test psychometric properties of the Sexual Esteem Subscale, while the associations in fertile and infertile women were evaluated by means of linear regression analysis.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: The reliability was supported by significant factor loadings and several goodness-of-fit indices. When comparing sexual esteem in infertile women with fertile women, we found that infertile women had higher sexual esteem than fertile women.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: The Turkish version of the Sexual Esteem subscale is valid and reliable in the Turkish population. The association between fertility and sexual esteem needs to be further investigated in larger samples and in different settings.

Sexuality experiences of women with multiple sclerosis reporting overactive bladder: a qualitative study.

To effectively manage sexual dysfunction in women reporting overactive bladder, it is essential to know how patients perceive these problems, their lives, and their strategies. In this study we aimed to understand the sexual life experiences of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who report overactive bladder from their point of view. This study included 12 women with MS and was conducted as a qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. The data were evaluated by using Van Manen's thematic analysis method. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used. In this study, thematic codes of sexual symptoms in women with MS with overactive bladder were defined and evaluated. As a result of the analysis of the data, four main themes and nine subthemes were identified. The main themes were "sexual self-concept," "sexual relationships," "sexual function," and "coping with problems". Subthemes such as body image, sexual esteem, the meaning of sexuality, communication, intimacy, coping with overactive bladder and sexual problems, and getting support showed that overactive bladder symptoms negatively affected women's sexual health. Given the variety of sexual problems experienced by women with MS who report overactive bladder, these problems should be a routine part of clinical evaluation. This study is to our knowledge the first to examine the sexual life experiences of MS women reporting overactive bladder in depth based on the holistic view of sexuality theory. However, the sample is small and includes only women with MS who have reported overactive bladder. The sexual experience of women with MS who reported overactive bladder was multi-dimensional. Women with MS cope with their sexual problems alone and cannot receive the necessary support from their husbands, nurses, or other health professionals.

Sexual Experiences and Beliefs Vary by Patterns of Pornography Genre Preferences Among Women

Pornography use is multidimensional, yet most studies of the topic use variable-oriented methods (e.g., frequency of use) that reduce the experience to a single dimension. In this study, we sought to identify different multidimensional patterns of pornography genre preferences among a sample of women (n = 206) and examine how those patterns are differentially associated with sexual experiences and beliefs examined in previous literature. Latent Class Analysis uncovered four patterns (or classes): Heterogeneous (39%), Traditionally Feminine (27%), Female Pleasure (23%) and Rough/violent (11%). Class membership was differentially predicted by prior sexual victimization, sexual esteem, and diverse sexual experiences while controlling for frequency of use. These findings suggest that genre preference could account for much of the mixed findings of prior work that measured pornography use with unidimensional approaches.

Daily Sexual Behavior, Sexual Esteem, and Body Image in Transgender and Cisgender Individuals

ABSTRACT Multiple surveys have suggested that transgender individuals show lower sexual well-being than cisgender individuals. Most studies, however, are limited in terms of ecological validity and memory bias and cross-sectional in nature. These issues are less prevalent in diary studies monitoring responses over time at home. For three weeks, 47 transgender (M age = 29.00, SD = 11.62) and 52 cisgender individuals (M age = 32.90, SD = 11.44) reported daily on their sexual behavior, sexual esteem and body image. Using multilevel model analyses, we investigated the daily associations between these variables, and addressed differences between transgender and cisgender individuals. We found that in transgender individuals, intimacy predicted sexual esteem; sexual openness predicted sexual esteem and body image; and sexual esteem predicts intimacy, masturbation, and sexual openness on the daily level. While transgender individuals scored lower on daily sexual esteem and body image than cisgender individuals, groups did not differ in daily sexual behavior. They also did not differ in any of the predictive relations described above, but we did find that the association between masturbation and body image was moderated by a cisgender identity, and sexual esteem predicted sexual activity more positively in cisgender compared to transgender individuals. These results complement findings from cross-sectional studies and indicate how transgender individuals struggling with sexuality can increase sexual openness. Implications for clinical practice are that clinicians discussing sexuality with their transgender patients should not define sexual activity too narrowly, and that sexual esteem might be a relevant factor in determining sexual behavior.

The Effects of Body Esteem Dimensions on Sexual Esteem in Men

ABSTRACT We examined the relationship between men’s perceptions of their bodies and how they see themselves sexually. The goals of this study were to explore the following: (1) the relationship between dimensions of body esteem and sexual esteem, (2) the influence of adherence to male gender norms on the relationship between body esteem and sexual esteem, (3) the influence of body-focused anxiety on the relationship between body esteem and sexual esteem. In a convenience sample of 298 male participants (M age = 32.34; SD = 13.34), we found that sexual attractiveness, upper body strength, and physical condition predicted sexual esteem, and that male gender norms and body image anxiety moderated this relationship. Exploratory items of body esteem for the jaw, wrists, height, and nose also significantly predicted sexual esteem. Given our findings of the role of various facets of body esteem in predicting sexual esteem, and the moderating effects of endorsement to male gender norms and body image anxiety on healthy sexual esteem, we maintain the importance of addressing these issues in the development of psychosocial, clinical, and sexual education programmesfor men, particularly in settings where men grapple with body and sexual esteem, and the implications of their masculinity.

Who am I as a Sexual Being? The Role of Sexual Self-Concept Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Sexual Satisfaction among Child Sexual Abuse Survivors.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with long-lasting and pervasive impacts on survivors' sexual health, particularly on their sexual satisfaction. Dispositional mindfulness has been found to be associated with greater sexual satisfaction among adult CSA survivors. However, the mechanisms involved in this association remain understudied. The present study examined the role of sexual self-concept (i.e., sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation, and sexual depression) in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and sexual satisfaction among CSA survivors. A total of 176 adult CSA survivors (60.6% women, 39.4% men) completed an online survey assessing dispositional mindfulness, sexual self-concept, and sexual satisfaction. Path analyses revealed that dispositional mindfulness was positively related to sexual satisfaction through a significant indirect effect of higher sexual esteem and lower sexual depression. The integrative model explained 66.5% of the variance in sexual satisfaction. These findings highlight the key roles that dispositional mindfulness and sexual self-concept play in CSA survivors' sexual satisfaction. Implications for interventions based on trauma-sensitive mindfulness targeting the sexual self-concept are discussed, as they may promote sexual satisfaction in adult CSA survivors.

Exploring the roles of online moral disengagement, body esteem, and psychosexual variables in predicting sexting motivations and behaviours

Studies on sexting motivations have produced a wealth of data and valuable information, but the roles of potentially relevant psychological variables in predicting specific sexting motivations have rarely been investigated. This study aims to explore, in a sample of 587 Italian adults (Mage = 25.5; SD = 6), whether online moral disengagement, body dissatisfaction, and three psychosexual variables can predict different sexting motivations (i.e., body image reinforcement, sexual, and aggravated/instrumental motivations), and whether these reasons can predict different sexting behaviours, such as private sexting, sexts’ dissemination, and posting own’ sexts online. A full Structural Equation Modeling analysis was carried out to explore the relationships between predictors of sexting motivations, sexting motivations, and sexting behaviours. Results showed that sending sexts privately was positively affected by all three sexting motivations. Posting own’ sexts online was only affected by body image reinforcement in a positive direction, whereas disseminating others’ sexts was only positively predicted by aggravated/instrumental reasons. In turn, body image reinforcement was positively affected by sexual preoccupation and negatively by body esteem. Sexual purposes were instead positively predicted by sexual esteem and sexual satisfaction and negatively by online moral disengagement and body esteem. Finally, aggravated/instrumental reasons were positively influenced by online moral disengagement and sexual preoccupation. Our study highlights the role of online moral disengagement in predicting aggravated/instrumental reasons, which lead to harmful or even illegal forms of sexting, and further supports the idea that aggravated and experimental sexting are two distinct behaviours, with distinct precursors.

Examining the Problematic Pornography Use Model: A Quantitative Exploration of Dysregulated Pornography Use

Questions concerning problematic pornography consumption have been widely discussed, but longitudinal data examining the relationships implicated by problematic pornography use models are rare. To date, two models have been proposed that have sought to elucidate the causal mechanisms involved in a problematic pornography use model, the I-PACE model and the Pornography Problems Due to Moral Incongruence Model. We sought to clarify this issue by investigating the prospective association between variables integral to previously proposed addiction models. Using a longitudinal TurkPrime.com sample (N=317), and a newly developed measure of pornography consumption, we asked participants to answer questions related to their pornography usage, their distress levels, and individual differences over a six-month time frame during 2017. Pornography consumption only led to distress when an individual possessed certain individual differences. Moreover, there was no evidence that pornography use mediated or suppressed the relationship between pornography consumption and distress. Using a series of mediation/suppression models, we found evidence to support the structure of existing theoretical models; specifically, pornography consumption amplifies the relationship between individual differences (ie, sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking) and distress (ie, depression and sexual esteem) over a six-month time period. However, we failed to observe an association between pornography consumption and distress when sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking were left unaccounted for within the model, suggesting pornography use likely only results in distress in those with certain individual differences. Moreover, there was no evidence that perceptions of problematic pornography use suppressed or mediated the relationship between pornography consumption and distress. These findings suggest that targeting specific individual differences -a la Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-rather than pornography consumption attitudes may be a more effective strategy to reduce problematic pornography use. One strength of the current study was that we were able to corroborate previously hypothesized models of problematic pornography consumption. Furthermore, this was done using a newly designed measurement of pornography consumption. However, the study was not without some shortcoming. We were unable to test the pornography problems due to moral incongruence arm of the study, something that previous research has indicated may lead to distress. This paper sought to empirically examine models investigating problematic pornography use. Our findings indicate that pornography consumption will only lead to certain sorts of distress in the presence of specific individual differences ie, sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking. Hatch HD, Hatch SG, Henderson E, et al. Examining the Problematic Pornography Use Model: A Quantitative Exploration of Dysregulated Pornography Use. J Sex Med 2022;19:132-143.

Feelings of Masculinity and Accomplishment in Response to Penetrative versus Non-Penetrative Orgasms.

Research indicates that men view their women partner's orgasms as reflections of their masculinity and sexual esteem. The purpose of this study was to examine this phenomenon in more detail by exploring whether men's feelings of masculinity and sexual esteem, as well as their feelings of accomplishment, were influenced by the method by which their woman partner experienced orgasm. Specifically, 193 young adult men (primarily between the ages of 18 and 24) read one of three vignettes (a partner orgasming from intercourse, from manual/oral stimulation, or from vibrator use) and then rated their imagined feelings of masculinity, accomplishment, and sexual esteem. Findings indicated that men who imagined their partner orgasmed from intercourse or manual/oral stimulation had higher feelings of masculinity and accomplishment than those who imagined their partner orgasmed from a vibrator. We found a significant interaction between clitoral knowledge and vignette condition in predicting masculinity, with clitoral knowledge only predicting masculinity for men in the manual/oral stimulation condition. The results of this study have important implications for sex education and the prevention of sexual problems, as well as for the future study of positive sexual functioning in women and men.

Mental and sexual well-being in non-binary and genderqueer individuals

Background Non-binary and genderqueer (NBGQ) individuals do not identify with a binary gender identity. Some but not all NBGQ individuals identify as transgender, and it is currently unclear on which aspects of mental and sexual well-being NBGQ and binary transgender individuals may differ. Aim To compare NBGQ, binary transgender and cisgender individuals on variables related to mental well-being, sexual well-being, and sexual self-concept discrepancies. Methods We conducted an online questionnaire study in 125 transgender men, 72 transgender women, 78 NBGQ individuals, 98 cisgender men, and 107 cisgender women. Results For most variables, NBGQ individuals did not differ from binary transgender individuals. These two groups differed only on gender dysphoria and transgender specific body image worries, which were both lower in the NBGQ group. Compared to the cisgender group, NBGQ individuals scored higher on gender dysphoria, actual/ought sexual self-concept discrepancies, and actual/ideal sexual self-concept discrepancies, and lower on general life satisfaction and sexual esteem related to body perception. Discussion These results offer a first quantitative analysis of sexual well-being in NBGQ individuals, and highlight that – while both groups face unique challenges – NBGQ individuals encounter similar difficulties concerning mental and sexual well-being as binary transgender individuals.