Global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem as predictors of sexual communication in intimate relationships.(Report)

Abstract: The goal of the present study was to examine the possible links between global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem, and their links to sexual communication in relationships. It was hypothesized that while there is a positive relationship between global self-esteem and communication in intimate relationships, sexual self-esteem will be a unique predictor of communication. Analyses of the responses of 74 individuals indicated that sexual self-esteem is a distinct, although contributing, aspect of global self-esteem and that sexual communication differs from general communication. Furthermore, while it was found that high levels of both global and sexual self-esteem predicted a higher ability to communicate about satisfying sexual behaviours with a partner, hierarchical regressions demonstrated that sexual self-esteem was a unique predictor of sexual communication over and above the contribution of global self-esteem. These results suggest that global self-esteem may be too broad a construct to predict one's ability to discuss sexual needs with a partner, and that future research may benefit from using measures of sexual self-esteem when researching sexual communication in intimate relationships.

Introduction

Research has shown that higher levels of communication between partners are associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction (Cupach & Comstock, 1990; MacNeil & Byers, 1997; Wheeless, Wheeless, & Baus, 1984). MacNeil and Byers (2005) showed that sexual self-disclosure, one aspect of communication with a partner, enhances sexual satisfaction in dating couples and that the sexes show both similarities and differences in prospective pathways between sexual self-disclosure and sexual satisfaction. Given the importance of communication in sexual satisfaction in couples, the factors associated with a person's ability to communicate with a partner about sexuality are of interest as these are not well understood. Global self-esteem (Ferroni & Taffe, 1997; Larson, Anderson, Holman & Niemann, 1998) and sexual self-esteem (Rosenfeld, 2004) are thought to reflect characteristics that facilitate sexual communication within relationships. However, greater clarity is needed about the relation between global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem and about the relation of each measure to sexual communication in relationships. The present study explores these themes.

Background

The literature defines global self-esteem as "a positive or negative attitude toward the self" (Rosenberg, 1965, p. 30) and researchers have identified it as an essential component for healthy sexual functioning (Hally & Pollack, 1993) and an integral part of one's personal self (Branden, 1969). Sexual self-esteem, defined as "[one's] affective reactions to [their] subjective appraisals of [their] sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviours" (Zeanah & Schwarz, 1996, p. 3) has been viewed as separate from, although a contributing component of, global self-esteem.

Individuals with high global self-esteem are thought to value their health, their lives, their mental and physical abilities, and their childbearing potential (Keeling, 1987). High global self-esteem in turn may translate into a greater likelihood of verbal and nonverbal communication, including communication about safer sex, satisfying sex, and related topics. For example, some researchers have shown a positive relationship between global self-esteem and contraceptive use, such that people with high global self-esteem were more likely to use some form of contraception during sexual intercourse compared to those with lower self-esteem. (Adler & Hendrick, 1991; Ethier et al., 2006; Holmbeck et al., 1994). However, Adler and Hendrick (1991) showed a similar association for high sexual self-esteem which they attributed to the fact that a person with high sexual self-esteem would be more accepting of themselves sexually and thus able to think about and prepare in advance for sexual interactions. This notion is similar to that advanced by Keeling (1987) in relation to global self-esteem which again raises the question of the association of global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem.

This type of question has been raised in other areas of personality and social psychology. For example, Dutton and Brown (1997) asked "... whether people's reactions to success and failure are guided more by their global self-esteem level or by their more specific beliefs about their abilities and attributes" (p. 139). They concluded that global self-esteem predicted emotional reactions and specific self-views predicted cognitive reactions. With respect to the current study, this example reflects our parallel use of terminology: global self-esteem for measures that assess a broader sense of self, and sexual self-esteem to reflect a person's self-view in the more specific domain of sexuality.

Global self-esteem and sexual-self esteem

Few studies have examined global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem together (Adler & Hendrick, 1991; Rosenfeld, 2004) with a view to uncovering their differential influences on sexual behaviours and on related measures associated with sexual communication. We consider first prior research on the influence of each of these measures individually. In the case of global self-esteem, some studies, unlike those cited above, found that higher self-esteem was associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse (i.e. less likelihood of safer sex practices) (Hollar & Snizek, 1996; Rosenthal, Moore, & Flynn, 1991; Seal, Minichiello & Omodei, 1997). Others found no relationship between self-esteem and sexual behaviours (Abel, Adams, & Stevenson, 1994; Ethier et al., 2006; Orr et al., 1989; Robinson & Frank, 1994). One might conclude from this diversity in the findings that global self-esteem may be too general a construct, and that sexual self-esteem, as one aspect of global self-esteem, may better predict sexual behaviour and communication.

Another important point in relation to the concept of global self-esteem is that peoples' evaluations of themselves can differ across various aspects of the self. These can include ethnic, cultural, gender, economic, and educational identities (Stryker, 1968), in which self-esteem can differ across each of these characteristics (Coopersmith, 1967). Some studies have shown that while ethnic self-esteem is moderately related to global self-esteem, they are distinct constructs (Bat-Chava & Steen, 1997; Verkuyten & Thijs, 2004). For example, Verkuyten and Thijs (2004) found that multicultural education had a positive effect on ethnic self-esteem but no influence on global self-esteem. It follows that a measure of global self-esteem "may not be sensitive enough to clarify the differences" (Zeanah & Schwarz, 1996, p. 2) between the various aspects of self-esteem.

Zeanah and Schwarz (1996) and Coopersmith (1967) have also questioned the adequacy of global self-esteem in examining individuals' sexuality. It is possible that a person who has a positive overall image of themselves in most spheres of life, may feel insecure about their sexuality. For these individuals, a measure of global self-esteem might not accurately capture the unique relation between sexual self-esteem and sexual behaviour and communication. In contrast, people with high sexual self-esteem might be expected to value their sexual being and experiences and to more willingly engage a partner in discussing issues related to safer sex and satisfying sexual encounters. We suggest that a measure of sexual self-esteem would be more relevant for examining …