Oral papers
Is Sexual Subjectivity Necessary for Marital Satisfaction?
M. Nekic
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Department Of Psychology, University Of Zadar, Zadar
A. Boskovic
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High School Bol, Bol-Brac
I. Tucak Junakovic
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Department Of Psychology, University Of Zadar, Zadar
https://doi.org/10.21465/2016-KP-OP-0058
Fulltext (english, pages 87-87).pdf
Abstracts
Objective: Sexual subjectivity includes perception of sexual pleasure and personal sexuality and represents an important part of self-concept (sexual bodyesteem, self-entitlement to sexual desire and self-pleasure, entitlement to sexual pleasure from a partner, self-efficacy in achieving sexual pleasure, and sexual selfreflection). According to previous studies, which have been only done on female adolescents and emerging adults (developmental stage between adolescence and young adulthood), sexual subjectivity was associated with lower levels of sexual anxiety and higher levels of sexual health. It was hypothesized that elements of sexual subjectivity, as an important part of self-concept would be a significant predictor of marital satisfaction.
Design and Method: Participants were 83 married couples, average age 30,5 years old. They were 4,3 years in marriage, and 72% of them had at least one child. Marital satisfaction scale (Cubela Adoric & Jurevic, 2006) and Sexual subjectivity scale (Horne & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2006; Croatian adaptation, Nekic, 2011) were used as measures.
Results: The results showed that couples without children had higher marital satisfaction, and possessed higher sexual subjectivity. Self-entitlement to sexual desire and self-pleasure was significantly higher in male participants. Entitlement to sexual pleasure from a partner was the only significant predictor for female marital satisfaction, while sexual body-esteem, self-efficacy in achieving sexual pleasure, and sexual self-reflection were significant predictors for male marital satisfaction.
Conclusions: Sexual subjectivity is an important construct for marital couples not just for female adolescents and emerging adults. We found that sexual subjectivity is important and significant predictor for female and male marital satisfaction.