Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Sexual Functioning in Sports Practitioners: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Emotion regulation is a transdiagnostic process strongly related with emotional difficulties, which may interfere with sexual functioning. Little is known about this association in athletes. The current study examined differences in difficulties in emotion regulation in sports practitioners with and without sexual difficulties. A total of 174 athletes (64 women and 110 men) completed a web-survey, answering a sociodemographic information questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale – Short Form, and the Female Sexual Functioning Index/the International Index of Erectile Function. Results suggested that 34 women (53.1%) experienced sexual difficulties and 40 men (35.1%) reported erectile difficulties. Women with sexual difficulties revealed greater difficulties in goal-directed behavior. Men with erectile difficulties revealed greater lack of emotional awareness and clarity, more difficulties in goal-directed behavior (focusing on relevant information and ignoring distractors) and impulse control, and higher nonacceptance of emotions. Overall, current findings enhance the role of difficulties in emotional regulation in sexual functioning in male and female sports practitioners.

Keywords:

• Emotion regulation
• men
• sexual functioning
• sports practitioners
• women

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to further data analysis in the scope of the ongoing project. Datasets may be made available in the future from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

Maria Manuela Peixoto was supported by national funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UIDB/00050/2020).