Exploring the Roles of Body Dissatisfaction, Cognitive Distraction, and Age in Sexual Distress Related to Sexual Function and Sexual Satisfaction in Men: An Extended Understanding Using a Moderated Mediation Model

Background/Objectives: Self-objectification theory posits that objectification of people's bodies, as a synonym for self-worth, translates into body surveillance and dissatisfaction, which has a negative impact on both social and emotional adjustment. According to empirical data based on cognitive models, body dissatisfaction translates into cognitive distraction during sexual activity, affecting sexual response. However, the association of body dissatisfaction with other sexual outcomes, such as satisfaction and distress, in heterosexual men is understudied in comparison to women. Methods: This observational, cross-sectional, and correlational study used a convenience sample of 597 heterosexual males with a mean age of 35.52 (SD = 8.78) obtained through a web survey. Results: Results suggested that cognitive distraction mediated the association between body dissatisfaction, sexual distress, and satisfaction. A moderating effect of age was found, detecting a decrease in the mediated effect of cognitive distraction as men aged, reinforcing the idea of age as a protective factor. Conclusions: Our study further supports cognitive models that are useful to understand sexual outcomes and not merely sexual function and reinforce the existence of heterosexual men's body dissatisfaction and its detrimental effects, suggesting that health practitioners should assess this phenomenon in a context related to sexual health.