Women's body image self-consciousness during physical intimacy with a partner

In Western cultures, women's bodies are objectified more so than men's, and other writers have noted the multiple ways that such objectification may n egatively impact women's lives. As women's sexual desirability is often equ ated with physical attractiveness and thinness, it is surprising that previ ous investigations have not included women's body image self-consciousness during physical intimacy with a partner: In the current set of studies, a 1 5-item measure of the construct was developed and shown to have excellent p sychometric properties. Approximately one third of college student women in dicated experiencing body image self-consciousness during physical intimacy with a heterosexual partner at least some of the time. That after statisti cally controlling for actual body size, measures of general body image, gen eral sexual anxiety and general well-being, scores on the new measure were predictive of heterosexual experience, sexual esteem, sexual esteem, sexual assertiveness, and avoidance of sexual activity. Results are discussed wit h regard to implications and directions for future research.