Bidimensional self-esteem and sexual functioning among young adults: A systematic review

Abstract

Sexual difficulties marked by poor sexual functioning is often reported by young adults, where young adulthood is an important period for the formation of intimacy in relationships. There has been increasing research showing the relationship between global self-esteem and sexual functioning, but this association is seldom examined through the bidimensional framework of self-esteem that includes domains of self-liking and self-competence. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to examine the empirical evidence on self-esteem domains and sexual functioning among young adults. Six databases (PsycINFO, Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus) were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles published from inception to June 2022. Articles were included in this review if they measured at least one domain of self-esteem, one domain of sexual functioning, reported the association between self-esteem and sexual functioning, and involved young adults from 18–30 years old. Of the 6020 records retrieved, 17 articles were included in this review. Data were extracted and synthesised, and a quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies was used to appraise the quality of articles ranging from poor to good. Most studies found positive associations between self-esteem elements and sexual functioning, particularly for global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem. However, these findings cannot be generalised due to the heterogeneity in measures of self-esteem constructs. This review reveals a gap in the literature as self-liking and self-competence have not been studied together in relation to sexual functioning, where most studies have focused on sexual satisfaction.