Sexual self-esteem, sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in Portuguese heterosexual university students

ABSTRACT

Sexual functioning plays a significant role in an individual’s sexual satisfaction; nevertheless, thus far little attention has been paid to the mediating role of sexual self-esteem. The current study aims to analyse sexual self-esteem effect on the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction among Portuguese heterosexual university students. Data from 438 students were obtained via online sampling and analysed assessing sexual self-esteem, sexual functioning and satisfaction. The main findings indicated that sexual functioning was a significant predictor of sexual satisfaction. Moreover, sexual self-esteem appears to partially mediate the relationship between sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. Practical implications for safe sex education programmes for universities are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Heterosexuality
• university students
• sexual self-esteem
• sexual functioning
• sexual satisfaction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. For more information on the calculation of specific indexes for each dimension as well a sexual function index, see Rosen et al. (2000).

Additional information

Funding

This study was conducted at Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of MInho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653).

Notes on contributors

Maria Manuela Peixoto

Maria Manuela Peixoto has a PhD in Psychology, is a certified Sex Therapist, a licensed Clinical and Health Psychologist, and a researcher at the Psychology Research Center at Minho University, Portugal.

Inês Amarelo-Pires

Inês Amarelo-Pires has a Master degree in Applied Psychology by University of Minho.

Maria Sofia Pimentel Biscaia

Maria Sofia Pimentel Biscaia holds a doctoral degree in Literature. She has taught at New University of Lisbon and at Beijing Normal University, China. She is currently Auxiliary Professor at UTAD and a Researcher at University of Aveiro.

Paulo P. P. Machado

Paulo P. P. Machado has a PhD in Clinical Psychology, is a Professor at School of Psychology, University of Minho, also is the President of School of Psychology, Minho University, and the President Elect for the Society for Psychotherapy Research.