Who am I as a Sexual Being? The Role of Sexual Self-Concept Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Sexual Satisfaction among Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

Abstract

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with long-lasting and pervasive impacts on survivors’ sexual health, particularly on their sexual satisfaction. Dispositional mindfulness has been found to be associated with greater sexual satisfaction among adult CSA survivors. However, the mechanisms involved in this association remain understudied. The present study examined the role of sexual self-concept (i.e., sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation, and sexual depression) in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and sexual satisfaction among CSA survivors. A total of 176 adult CSA survivors (60.6% women, 39.4% men) completed an online survey assessing dispositional mindfulness, sexual self-concept, and sexual satisfaction. Path analyses revealed that dispositional mindfulness was positively related to sexual satisfaction through a significant indirect effect of higher sexual esteem and lower sexual depression. The integrative model explained 66.5% of the variance in sexual satisfaction. These findings highlight the key roles that dispositional mindfulness and sexual self-concept play in CSA survivors’ sexual satisfaction. Implications for interventions based on trauma-sensitive mindfulness targeting the sexual self-concept are discussed, as they may promote sexual satisfaction in adult CSA survivors.

The Effectiveness of Strength-Based Intervention on Attitude Toward Marital Infidelity and Sexual Self-Concept in Women with Marital Conflict

“…The improvements observed align with Hsu et al's (2014) discussion on the importance of sexual self-concept in fostering sexual self-efficacy, which is known to contribute to overall well-being (Hsu et al, 2014). Furthermore, the study by Guyon et al (2022), which examined sexual selfconcept among survivors of child sexual abuse, underscores the transformative potential of addressing sexual selfperceptions in therapeutic settings (Guyon et al, 2022). Our findings suggest that strengthening an individual's perception of their sexual self can lead to more confident and healthy sexual attitudes, which is essential for maintaining intimate relationships.…”

“…Sexual self-concept is not only a reflection of one's sexual beliefs and self-view but also a determinant of sexual behavior, which can further influence marital quality and satisfaction (Guyon et al, 2022). Effective interventions, such as the ones studied by Hamidi et al (2022) using social networks to support women with breast cancer, show promising results in enhancing sexual self-concept, which in turn could mitigate the negative effects of marital conflicts (Hamidi et al, 2022).…”

Exploring barriers and facilitators to women’s intention and behavior to seek treatment for distressing sexual problems

“…Two facets of the sexual self-concept, sexual assertiveness—defined as a person’s tendency to be decisive and self-reliant about their sexuality [ 30 ]—and sexual self-esteem—the tendency to positively evaluate one’s own capacity to engage in healthy sexual behaviors and to experience a satisfying sex life [ 30 ]—have been associated with sexual satisfaction and sexual functioning [ 31 ]. While aspects of the sexual self-concept have been investigated with respect to their relevance to sexual functioning outcomes [ 32 ], studies on the relevance for sexual help-seeking behavior are scarce.…”