Negative body attitudes and sexual dissatisfaction in men: The mediating role of body self-consciousness during physical intimacy

Abstract

Previous research indicated that negative attitudes about the body and appearance are common among men and demonstrated that negative body attitudes are associated with negative sexual experiences. The present study investigated the association between body attitudes and sexual dissatisfaction and themediating role of body self-consciousness during physical intimacy. In a cross-sectional design, 201 Dutch men completedanonline surveyregardingbodyattitudestowardmuscularity, body fat, height, and genitals, body self-consciousness during physical intimacy, and sexual dissatisfaction. Hypotheses were tested using correlation analyses and a mediation analysis withbodyattitudesaspredictors,bodyself-consciousnessasmediator, and sexual dissatisfaction as outcome. Correlation analyses showed that negative body attitudes and body self-consciousness during physical intimacy were significantly related to sexual dissatisfaction. The mediation analysis revealed that negative attitudestowardmuscularity, bodyfat,andgenitalshadindirecteffects on sexual dissatisfaction through body self-consciousness during physical intimacy. Negative attitudes toward genitals additionally hadadirecteffectonsexual dissatisfaction.Thesefindings indicate that body image interventions focused onmale body attitudesmay bebeneficial inimprovingmen’sbodyimage,whichmayultimately increase sexual satisfaction.