Researchers have seldom compared how various psychological factors relate to men’s sexual health. We sought to identify whether and how psychological risk factors (i.e. anxiety sensitivity, emotion regulation, psychological distress) predict men’s sexual health (i.e. functioning, sexual quality of life, frequency of sexual activity). Men (N = 306) completed an online survey measuring emotional, psychological, and sexual outcomes. Comparisons of four path analysis models suggested that psychological risk factors are related to some but not all sexual health markers. We will highlight the factors that may place young men at risk for developing mental and sexual health difficulties.
AbrahamLSymondsTMorrisMF (2008) Psychometric validation of a sexual quality of life questionnaire for use in men with premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction. The Journal of Sexual Medicine5(3): 595–601.
2.
AldaoANolen-HoeksemaSSchweizerS (2010) Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review30(2): 217–237.
3.
American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5®). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
4.
AngstJGammaAGastparMet al. (2002) Gender differences in depression. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience252(5): 201–209.
5.
AraujoABDuranteRFeldmanHAet al. (1998) The relationship between depressive symptoms and male erectile dysfunction: Cross-Sectional results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. Psychosomatic Medicine60: 458–465.
6.
ArmstrongKAKhawajaNG (2002) Gender differences in anxiety: An investigation of the symptoms, cognitions, and sensitivity towards anxiety in a nonclinical population. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy30(2): 227–231.
7.
AtlantisESullivanT (2012) Bidirectional association between depression and sexual dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine9(6): 1497–1507.
8.
BarlowDH (1986) Causes of sexual dysfunction: The role of anxiety and cognitive interference. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology54(2): 140–148.
9.
BeutelMEStöbel-RichterYBrählerE (2008) Sexual desire and sexual activity of men and women across their lifespans: Results from a representative German community survey. BJU International101(1): 76–82.
10.
CarvalhoJNobreP (2011) Biopsychosocial determinants of men’s sexual desire: Testing an integrative model. The Journal of Sexual Medicine8(3): 754–763.
11.
De VisserROMcDonnellEJ (2013) “Man points”: Masculine capital and young men’s health. Health Psychology32(1): 5–14.
12.
DunnKMCroftPRHackettGI (1999) Association of sexual problems with social, psychological, and physical problems in men and women: A cross sectional population survey. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health53(3): 144–148.
13.
FrohlichPMestonC (2002) Sexual functioning and self-reported depressive symptoms among college women. The Journal of Sex Research39(4): 321–325.
14.
GarnefskiNTeerdsJKraaijVet al. (2004) Cognitive emotion regulation strategies and depressive symptoms: Differences between males and females. Personality and Individual Differences36(2): 267–276.
15.
GaterRTansellaMKortenAet al. (1998) Sex differences in the prevalence and detection of depressive and anxiety disorders in general health care settings: Report from the World Health Organization Collaborative Study on Psychological Problems in General Health Care. Archives of General Psychiatry55(5): 405–413.
16.
GerriorKGWattMCWeaverADet al. (2015) The role of anxiety sensitivity in the sexual functioning of young women. Sexual and Relationship Therapy30(3): 351–363.
17.
GlasierAGülmezogluAMSchmidGPet al. (2006) Sexual and reproductive health: A matter of life and death. The Lancet368(9547): 1595–1607.
18.
GratzKLRoemerL (2004) Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment26(1): 41–54.
19.
JonesJCBarlowDH (1990) Self-reported frequency of sexual urges, fantasies, and masturbatory fantasies in heterosexual males and females. Archives of Sexual Behavior19(3): 269–279.
20.
KalmbachDACieslaJAJanataJWet al. (2012) Specificity of anhedonic depression and anxious arousal with sexual problems among sexually healthy young adults. The Journal of Sexual Medicine9(2): 505–513.
21.
KashdanTBZvolenskyMJMcLeishAC (2008) Anxiety sensitivity and affect regulatory strategies: Individual and interactive risk factors for anxiety-related symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders22(3): 429–440.
22.
KennedySHDickensSEEisfeldBSet al. (1999) Sexual dysfunction before antidepressant therapy in major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders56(2): 201–208.
23.
KesslerRCBerglundPDemlerOet al. (2005) Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry62(6): 593–602.
24.
LewinsohnPMGotlibIHLewinsohnMet al. (1998) Gender differences in anxiety disorders and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology107(1): 109–117.
25.
LinehanM (1993) Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
26.
LovibondPFLovibondSH (1995) The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy33(3): 335–343.
27.
MastersWHJohnsonVJ (1986) Human Sexual Response. New York: Bantam Books.
28.
MillerSAByersES (2012) Practicing psychologists’ sexual intervention self-efficacy and willingness to treat sexual issues. Archives of Sexual Behavior41(4): 1041–1050.
29.
MuiseASchimmackUImpettEA (2016) Sexual frequency predicts greater well-being, but more is not always better. Social Psychological and Personality Science7(4): 295–302.
30.
Naragon-GaineyK (2010) Meta-analysis of the relations of anxiety sensitivity to the depressive and anxiety disorders. Psychological Bulletin136(1): 128–150.
31.
NicolosiAMoreiraEDVillaMet al. (2004) A population study of the association between sexual function, sexual satisfaction and depressive symptoms in men. Journal of Affective Disorders82(2): 235–243.
32.
NobrePJPinto-GouveiaJ (2006) Emotions during sexual activity: Differences between sexually functional and dysfunctional men and women. Archives of Sexual Behavior35(4): 491–499.
33.
O’NeillSCCohenLHTolpinLHet al. (2004) Affective reactivity to daily interpersonal stressors as a prospective predictor of depressive symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology23(2): 172–194.
34.
OuimetAJKaneLTutinoJS (2016) Fear of anxiety or fear of emotions? Anxiety sensitivity is indirectly related to anxiety and depressive symptoms via emotion regulation. Cogent Psychology3(1): 1249132.
35.
PatrickDLAlthofSEPryorJLet al. (2005) Premature ejaculation: An observational study of men and their partners. The Journal of Sexual Medicine2(3): 358–367.
36.
PonholzerATemmlCMockKet al. (2005) Prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction in 2869 men using a validated questionnaire. European Urology47(1): 80–86.
37.
PrinceMPatelVSaxenaSet al. (2007) No health without mental health. The Lancet370(9590): 859–877.
38.
RandallHEByersES (2003) What is sex? Students’ definitions of having sex, sexual partner, and unfaithful sexual behaviour. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality12(2): 87–96.
39.
ReissSPetersonRAGurskyDMet al. (1986) Anxiety sensitivity, anxiety frequency and the prediction of fearfulness. Behaviour Research and Therapy24(1): 1–8.
40.
ReissingEDGiulioGD (2010) Practicing clinical psychologists’ provision of sexual health care services. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice41(1): 57.
41.
RosenCBrownJHeimanSet al. (2000) The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy26(2): 191–208.
42.
SimonsJSCareyMP (2001) Prevalence of sexual dysfunctions: Results from a decade of research. Archives of Sexual Behavior30(2): 177–219.
43.
SmitsJABerryACTartCDet al. (2008) The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral interventions for reducing anxiety sensitivity: A meta-analytic review. Behaviour Research and Therapy46(9): 1047–1054.
44.
StewartSHTaylorSBakerJM (1997) Gender differences in dimensions of anxiety sensitivity. Journal of Anxiety Disorders11(2): 179–200.
45.
TaylorSZvolenskyMJCoxBJet al. (2007) Robust dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: Development and initial validation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3. Psychological Assessment19(2): 176–188.
46.
TutinoJSOuimetAJShaughnessyK (2017) How do transdiagnostic risk factors predict sexual outcomes? A comparison of four models of women’s sexual health. The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
47.
YelaC (2012) Predictors of and factors related to loving and sexual satisfaction for men and women. European Review of Applied Psychology/revue Européenne De Psychologie Appliquée50: 235–243.
