Spectatoring Mediates the Association Between Penis Appearance Concerns and Sexual Dysfunction

Abstract

Men with penis appearance concerns are more likely to experience sexual dysfunction, but the processes underlying this association are unknown. This study investigated whether spectatoring (i.e., negative self-directed attentional focus during sex) mediates the association between penis appearance concerns and sexual dysfunction. Men in romantic relationships (N = 512, in predominantly mixed-gender relationships) reported on sex they had with their partner in the previous month. Indirect effects indicated that penis appearance concerns predicted greater spectatoring, and in turn predicted greater erectile and orgasmic dysfunction. Results suggest that spectatoring is a conduit through which penis appearance concerns impede sexual function.

Acknowledgments

The first author was supported by an Undergraduate Research Award from the Western Carolina University Honors College.

Notes

1 Historically, mediation was most commonly tested using the causal steps approach (Baron & Kenney, 1986). However, it is currently accepted that this approach has several limitations. First, significant a, b, c paths are not necessary for mediation, so long as the ab path (the indirect effect) is significant (Hayes & Rockwood, 2016). Moreover, an observed reduction in c to c′ is also unnecessary, and simply reflects a smaller sample’s greater power to detect direct effects of X on Y, rather than mediation (Hayes & Rockwood, 2016; Shrout & Bolger, 2002).

2 To assess the relative magnitude of mediation, we calculated mediation ratios of indirect to total effect of X on Y (i.e., $P_M=\frac{ab}{ab+c\prime }=\frac{ab}{c}=1-\frac{c\prime }{c}$; Preacher & Kelley, 2011), which is recommended for large samples (i.e., N > 500).

Additional information

Funding

The first author was supported by an Undergraduate Research Award from the Western Carolina University Honors College.