Differences in Sexual Guilt and Desire in East Asian and Euro-Canadian Men

Abstract

Differences in sexual desire between individuals of East Asian and European descent are well-documented, with East Asian individuals reporting lower sexual desire. The mechanisms that underlie this disparity have received little empirical attention. Recent research has found that sex guilt, “a generalized expectancy for self-mediated punishment for violating or for anticipating violating standards of proper sexual conduct” (Mosher & Cross, 1971, p. 27), mediates the relationship between culture and sexual desire in East Asian and Euro-Canadian women. The goal of this study was to explore this role of sex guilt in men. Male Euro-Canadian (n = 38) and East Asian (n = 45) university students completed online questionnaires. The East Asian men reported significantly lower sexual desire and significantly higher sex guilt. Sex guilt was a significant mediator of the relationship between ethnicity and sexual desire, as well as a significant mediator between mainstream acculturation and sexual desire. Among the East Asian men, mainstream acculturation was significantly and negatively correlated with sex guilt such that increasing mainstream acculturation was associated with less sex guilt. The diagnostic and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

Acknowledgments

Funding for this study came from a Hampton Research Grant (Grant no. F08-05647) from the University of British Columbia awarded to Lori A. Brotto. We acknowledge the assistance of Cara Dunkley.

Notes

Note. Significant group differences at *p < .01 and **p < .001.

^a Scale range = 20–180.

Note. Higher scores denote greater sexual desire (IIEF) and higher sex guilt (RMGI).

^a Based on n = 36 Euro-Canadians and n = 43 East Asians.

^b Based on n = 31 Euro-Canadians and n = 38 East Asians.

^c Effect size (Cohen's d) was calculated as d = (M ₁ – M ₂)/s, where s = √[(n ₁ – 1) + (n ₂ – 1)]/(n ₁ + n ₂).