Body satisfaction and couple's daily sexual functioning

Abstract

Body satisfaction has been shown to have an important effect on the nature and quality of people's sexual experiences. However, past research has focused almost exclusively on women, and indeed no study has examined the role of both partners' body satisfaction or the effects of individual's satisfaction with partner's body attractiveness on sexual functioning. Moreover, almost all past studies have relied on cross-sectional self-report data; few have examined the effects of body satisfaction on day-to-day sexual experiences. To address these shortcomings, the current study used data from two daily studies to investigate the impacts of both partners' body satisfaction and satisfaction with partner's body on daily sexual functioning. Results showed a complex picture of effects that were often dependent on multiple factors. Satisfaction with partner's body attractiveness was showed to be a stronger predictor of individual's own sexual functioning than satisfaction of one's own body. In contrast, partner's satisfaction with his or her own body had negative effect on individual's sexual quality. Furthermore, woman's sexual functioning was more likely to be impacted by partner's satisfaction with her body as expected. And finally, couples had more frequent intercourse when both partners were matched on perceived body attractiveness but only individual who was satisfied with one's own body and partner's body experienced the lowest level of negative mood during sex. Theoretical and methodological implications for future research are discussed.