title: Beliefs About Appearance, Cognitive Distraction and Sexual Functioning in Men and Women: A Mediation Model Based on Cognitive Theory.
abstract: Dysfunctional beliefs about body appearance and cognitive distraction from body appearance during sexual activity have been associated with sexual problems, particularly in women. However, there are no studies examining the interplay between these dimensions and the mechanisms by which they affect sexual functioning.
  
  
  
  To examine the mediating role of cognitive distraction with body appearance on the relation between beliefs about appearance and sexual functioning.
  
  
  
  The study sample consisted of 426 heterosexual participants (129 men and 297 women) involved in an exclusive dyadic committed relationship who answered an online questionnaire.
  
  
  
  The Body Appearance Cognitive Distraction Scale, the Beliefs About Appearance Scale, the International Index of Erectile Function, and the Female Sexual Function Index.
  
  
  
  The findings indicated that cognitive distraction with body appearance fully mediated the relation between beliefs about appearance and sexual functioning in men and women.
  
  
  
  The results support the role of beliefs about appearance and cognitive distraction based on body appearance in predicting sexual functioning, reaffirming the role of cognitive models in explaining sexual functioning in men and women.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Elizabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisbon, Portugal; Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. Electronic address: patricia.pascoal@ulusofona.pt.
authors.forename: Patrícia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Pascoal
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nobre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D003071:Cognition; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Body Image Beliefs; Cognitive Distraction Based on Body Appearance; Mediation; Sexual Functioning