Good Sex and Self Esteem Often Go Together, Study Finds

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 30, 2024 -- There's a strong link between self-esteem and good times between the sheets, a new study suggests.

Folks ranking high in self-esteem also tended to rate their sex lives as satisfying, reported a team from the Universities of Zurich and Utrecht, in Switzerland and The Netherlands.

The effect could work in both directions, researchers believe.

“People with higher self-esteem tend not only to be sexually active more often, but also to be more satisfied with their sexual experiences,” said lead authors Elisa Weber and Wiebke Bleidorn, from the department of psychology at the University of Zurich.

The data was based on interviews conducted over 12 years with more than 11,000 German adults, averaging about 26 years of age.

They were asked questions such as, “How satisfied are you with your sex life?” and “How often have you had sexual intercourse, on average, during the past three months?," or asked to agree or disagree with statements such as "Sometimes I believe that I’m worthless" or “I like myself just the way I am."

There was a strong correlation between higher levels of self-esteem and an active, satisfying sex life, the researchers found.

The relationship seemed "reciprocal" over time: For example, as levels of self-esteem climbed higher, sex got more satisfying, too. And as folks enjoyed happier sex lives, self-esteem levels rose.

They researchers noted that sexual satisfaction was key to self-esteem, not the actual frequency of sexual encounters.

"The extent to which one’s sexual desires are subjectively met may be more relevant to a person’s self-acceptance than the frequency with which people engage in sex," they theorized.

Feeling better about oneself might also make people "feel more confident in permitting intimacy, as well as disclosing and pursuing their sexual needs and desires," the study authors said.

It also didn't seem to matter if folks were in a relationship: The link between sexual satisfaction and self-esteem was similar whether folks were coupled or single, the study found.

These effects weren't the same for everyone, however.

According to the University of Zurich news release, "Older people and women tended to show a stronger connection between self-esteem and sexual well-being than younger people and men."

The findings were published recently in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Bleidorn said that “answering these questions is of immense importance... The results of this study help to understand the complex interplay between self-esteem and sexual experience and provide important impetus for future research in this area."

Sources

  • University of Zurich, news release, Sept. 18, 2024
  • Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Sept. 18, 2024

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2024-10-01 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords