title: Emotional Intelligence and Sexual Functioning in a Sample of Swiss Men and Women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Past research has emphasized the importance of psychologic factors in the multifactorial etiology of sexual problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to examine (i) how emotional intelligence (EI) associates with sexual functioning; and (ii) whether EI moderates the association between sexual functioning and sexual quality of life (SQoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 211 participants completed questionnaires relating to EI, sexual functioning, and SQoL. A set of standardized and validated questionnaires were used, including the International Index of Erectile Function, the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool, the Female Sexual Function Index, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), and the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire (SQoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlation, partial correlation, and moderation analyses were used to investigate the associations and moderations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When taking into account age and relationship duration, EI was significantly negatively correlated with female sexual desire only (rs  = -0.39, P < 0.01). No associations between EI and male sexual functioning on any domain could be detected. A moderation effect of EI in the association between sexual satisfaction and SQoL was observed in women, but not in men. Sexual functioning correlated positively with SQoL in both sexes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show for the first time an association between female desire levels and normal variations in EI. Findings also tentatively suggest a relative gender difference in the factors contributing to sexual problems and SQoL, although results need to be confirmed in larger samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jasmine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Willi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm / Q000502:physiology; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Emotional Intelligence; Epidemiology; Etiology; Female Sexual Dysfunction; Sexual Quality of Life