Body Image and Sexual Functioning Among Bisexual Women

Using the Sexual Health Model, the current study examined the relationship between body image and three aspects of sexual health (sexual functioning, safer sex behavior, and sexual orientation) among 136 bisexualwomen.Amore positive body imagewas significantly associated with higher levels of sexual activity (in the prior three months) and higher levels of sexual satisfaction, but only marginally associated with masturbation and orgasms. Mediation analyses showed that a positive body image predicts sexual activity, which then predicts increased sexual satisfaction. Although body image was significantly related to safer sex self-efficacy, it did not moderate the relationship between condom attitudes and safer sex self-efficacy. A positive body image was associated with greater comfort with one's sexual orientation, but not with self-reported changes in sexual identification. Body image is closely related to sexual health, but is one of many variables that interact in complex ways to promote sexual well-being. Key Words: Body imagebisexualwomensexual health

Condom · Developmental psychology · Environmental health · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV · Human sexuality · Mediation · Population · Reproductive health · Safer sex · Sexual attraction · Sexual behavior · Sexual orientation · Clinical Psychology · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Gender Studies · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology · Social Psychology

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