Abstract
Objective: To gain insight into the relationship between sexual self-consciousness and sex drive in men and women.
Study Design: This study was set up in a cross-sectional design, using a random survey.
Background: Based on observations in pelvic physiotherapy practice, it seemed that there might be a link between sexual self-consciousness, the way we appraise ourselves in sexual situations, and an underlying general process of sexual functioning, sex drive.
Methods and Measures: Of 600 randomly selected people from the general population in the Netherlands, a total of 149 men and 213 women between the ages of 18 and 76 years participated in the study. The survey used the Sexual Self-consciousness Scale with subscales of embarrassment and self-focus and the Sex Drive Scale. Analysis of variance was used to test differences in mean scores. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test the influence of sexual self-consciousness on sex drive, with age as a covariate.
Results: Sexual self-consciousness was a significant predictor for sex drive scores. When sexual embarrassment scores increased, sex drive scores decreased in both men and women. When sexual self-focus scores increased, sex drive scores also increased in women, but not in men.
Conclusions: The relationship between sex drive and sexual self-consciousness in men and women is negatively influenced by embarrassment. With regard to self-focus, only sex drive in women is positively affected. These findings could have implications for treatment in settings such as pelvic physiotherapy practice where sexual problems are often presented.