Psychology Self-esteem increases satisfaction with sexual experiences

Self-confident people have more and better sex. As a long-term study by the Universities of Zurich and Utrecht shows, people with higher self-esteem feel more satisfied with their sexual experiences.

Conversely, satisfying sexual experiences also lead to higher self-esteem, as Elisa Weber, lead author of the study, explained to the Keystone-SDA news agency on Wednesday.

The study, which was published in the specialist journal "Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin", is based on data from over 11,000 adults in Germany who were repeatedly surveyed over a period of 12 years.

According to the study, changes in a respondent's sexual satisfaction led to changes in the person's self-esteem and vice versa. This correlation between self-esteem and sexual well-being was found to be independent of relationship status. However, it was on average more pronounced in older people and women than in younger people and men.

Self-confident people express desires better

The main aim of the study was to better understand the connection between self-esteem and sexual experiences, said Weber. This was basic research. However, the results could also be relevant for therapies in the future.

The researchers explain this connection by saying that people with high self-esteem may be better able to communicate their desires and preferences to intimate partners, which in the long term results in greater sexual well-being, as the University of Zurich explained in a press release on the study. The fact that positive experiences in social and intimate relationships generally increase self-esteem, while negative experiences can lead to self-doubt, could also play a role.