Cycles of shame: menstrual shame, body shame, and sexual decision-making.
Although numerous factors have been implicated in women's sexual decision-making, less attention has been focused on how their feelings about their bodies and reproductive functions affect these processes. Recent findings link menstrual shame to lower levels of sexual activity and higher levels of sexual risk; however the mechanisms behind these relations remain unexplored. Accordingly, this study investigates the contributions of menstrual shame and global body shame to sexual decision-making among 199 undergraduate women. Using structural equation modeling, we evaluated a mediated model, whereby menstrual shame is indirectly associated with sexual decision-making via body shame. As expected, women who reported feeling more comfort about menstruation also reported more body comfort and, in turn, more sexual assertiveness, more sexual experience, and less sexual risk.
Schooler
Deborah
D
Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality, San Francisco State University, 2017 Mission Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. dschooler@gmail.com
Ward
L Monique
LM
Merriwether
Ann
A
Caruthers
Allison S
AS
D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation / Q000523:psychology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012752:Shame; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult