Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2025
07:40
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
3.2K
Exploring the Roles of Body Dissatisfaction, Cognitive Distraction, and Age in Sexual Distress Related to Sexual
Ivanilda B Costa1, Pedro J Rosa1,2, Patrícia M Pascoal1,3,4
1HEI-Lab-Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 12, 2025
Summary
Body dissatisfaction in men negatively impacts sexual satisfaction and increases sexual distress. Cognitive distraction mediates this effect, with age acting as a protective factor against these negative sexual outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sexual Health
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Self-objectification theory links body objectification to dissatisfaction, impacting social and emotional well-being.
- Cognitive models suggest body dissatisfaction leads to cognitive distraction during sexual activity, affecting sexual response.
- Research on body dissatisfaction and sexual outcomes in heterosexual men is limited compared to women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between body dissatisfaction and sexual outcomes (satisfaction, distress) in heterosexual men.
- To examine the mediating role of cognitive distraction in this relationship.
- To explore potential moderating effects, such as age.
Main Methods:
- An observational, cross-sectional, correlational study.
- Convenience sample of 597 heterosexual males (mean age 35.52).
- Data collected via a web survey.
Main Results:
- Cognitive distraction significantly mediated the relationship between body dissatisfaction, sexual distress, and sexual satisfaction.
- Age moderated this effect, with older men showing a decreased mediated impact of cognitive distraction.
- Age appears to be a protective factor against the negative sexual consequences of body dissatisfaction.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive models effectively explain sexual outcomes beyond just sexual function.
- Heterosexual men experience body dissatisfaction with detrimental effects on sexual health.
- Healthcare practitioners should consider assessing body dissatisfaction in the context of men's sexual health.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.2K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.2K
01:20Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
238
Men's health issues are increasingly recognized as significant, with several conditions posing common threats. Among these, testicular cancer is especially prevalent in younger men, particularly those aged 20 to 35 years. The disease often manifests as a painless mass in the testicles, sometimes accompanied by a sensation of heaviness or a dull ache.
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
238
02:12Relationship Formation
39.4K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
39.4K
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
38.6K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
38.6K
01:26Modeling in Therapy
34
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
34
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
32.3K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
32.3K