title: Self-objectification, body self-consciousness during sexual activities, and sexual satisfaction in college women.
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.
authors.affiliation: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States. Electronic address: claudatk@unlv.nevada.edu.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Claudat
authors.affiliation: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States. Electronic address: cortney.warren@unlv.edu.
authors.forename: Cortney S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Warren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003243:Consciousness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012752:Shame; D015206:Southwestern United States; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body self-consciousness during sexual activities; Body shame; Body surveillance; Objectification theory; Sexual satisfaction