PLEASURE, SELF-ESTEEM, AND EXPRESSION: EXPANDING THE RANGE OF SEXUAL MOTIVES ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUAL SATISFACTION Kyle R. Stephenson, B.S., Tierney K. Ahrold, M.A. & Cindy M. Meston, Ph.D. Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin Ta ble 3: R E S U L T S (C O N T.) I N T R O D U C T I O N  Previous research has shown that endorsement of certain sexual motives (reasons for engaging in sexual activity) is associated with levels of sexual satisfaction 1,2 and that this association differs by gender 2.  However, these categories of motives differ in their content and method of construction 3.  While some researchers have organized sexual motives along theoretical lines 4, others have done so empirically, creating categories based on the frequency with which motives are endorsed concurrently 5.  While both types of scales have been shown to predict satisfaction ratings, they have not been directly compared to determine which is most effective at predicting overall sexual satisfaction in men and women. A I M  To determine which of two methods for categorizing sexual motives results in the most accurate prediction of sexual satisfaction for men and women. M E T H O D S  753 undergraduates at the University of Texas at Austin (see Table 1). PARTICIPANTS MEASURES  The YSEX? Questionnaire (YSEX?)  The Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (SSS-W)  The Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI)  Attitude Scale of the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI-A)  Neuroticism factor of the NEO Personality Inventory  2-Factor Proxy Scale of Approach and Avoidance Sexual Motivations 6  4-Factor Proxy Scale of Sexual Motivation  Approach-Individual  Approach-Social  Avoidance-Individual  Avoidance-Social  Hierarchical Linear Regressions  After controlling for neuroticism, sexual functioning, and sexual attitudes, the three types of scales (2 and 4- Factor Proxies, and YSEX?) were tested to determine which would explain more variance in sexual satisfaction.  After control variables (step 1), 2-Factor proxy was entered (step 2), before entering YSEX? scales (step 3)  After control variables (step 1), 4-Factor Proxy was entered (step 2), before entering YSEX? scales (step 3)  For women, all three scale types were significant predictors of satisfaction. For men, the 2-Factor Proxy and YSEX? scales were significant predictors (see Figure 1).  For men and women, the YSEX? scales predicted more variance in satisfaction ratings than did the Proxy Scales (see Figure 1).  For women, YSEX? scales predicted additional variance in satisfaction while controlling for both 2-Factor Proxy scale (see Figure 2) and 4-Factor Proxy scale (see Table 2; Figure 2).  A wider range of sexual motives significantly predicted satisfaction for women than for men.  Sexual motives were a more consistent predictor of satisfaction for women than for men (see Figure 2). Geographic Characteristics of the Participant Sample: Number of Participants by State ABREVIATIONS: YSEX?: The YSEX? Questionnaire; FSFI: The Female Sexual Functioning Inventory; SSS-W: The Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women; DSFI: The Derogatis Sexual Functioning Index; β: Beta; SE: Standard Error R E F E R E N C E S The Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of Texas is funded by Grant Number 5 RO1 HD from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to Cindy M. Meston. R E F E R E N C E S 1. Impett E & Tolman D (2006). Journal of Adolescent Research, 21, Stephenson et al (2009). Annual Meeting of The International Society for The Study of Women’s Sexual Health. 3. Hill C & Preston L (1996). Journal of Sex Research, 33, Cooper M, Shapiro C, & Powers A (1998). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, Meston C & Buss D (2007). Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36, Impett E, Peplau L, & Gable S (2008). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94, Cohen L & Shotland R (1996). Journal of Sex Research, 33, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS C O N C L U S I O N  These findings suggest that many different types of sexual motives are related to sexual satisfaction.  While there are different ways of categorizing sexual motives, our findings suggest that using more precise, empirical categories of motives provides a more accurate prediction of sexual satisfaction, possibly due to the stronger internal cohesiveness of these categories.  The relationship between motives and satisfaction seems to be stronger and more consistent for women than for men, possibly due to women’s role as sexual “gate-keepers 7.”  Further research is needed to test additional factors that may moderate the effect of motives on satisfaction, and to identify possible mediators through which motives may play a role in determining satisfaction levels. R E S U L T S Demographic Characteristics of the Participant Sample Table 1: There are over 142 distinct reasons that people have sex. ANALYSIS Hierarchical Linear Regression Outputs; Sexual Motives as Predictors of Sexual Satisfaction Table 2: Figure 2: Variance in Sexual Satisfaction Explained by YSEX? Scales Over and Above Proxy Scales Figure 1: Amount of Variance Explained After Controlling for Neuroticism, Sexual Functioning, and Sexual Attitudes MEN MotivesβBSESig. Step 2 Theoretical Scales Approach-Social Approach-Individual Avoidance-Social Avoidance-Individual F Change1.61 * R 2 Change 0.22 Step 3 YSEX? Scales Love/Commitment Self-Esteem Expression Pleasure Experience-Seeking F Change3.1 R 2 Change 0.1 * p <.05; ** p <.01; ***p <.001 WOMEN MotivesβBSESig. Step 2 Theoretical Scales Approach-Social ** Approach-Individual Avoidance-Social Avoidance-Individual F Change46.8 *** R 2 Change 0.13 Step 3 YSEX? Scales Love/Commitment Self-Esteem *** Expression ** Pleasure Experience-Seeking *** F Change16.82 *** R 2 Change 0.14 * p <.05; ** p <.01; ***p <.001