engleski

Distressing sexual function, sexual victimization, and sexual satisfaction: Results from a national study of Croatian young adults

Objective: Little is known about links between sexual satisfaction, distress about sexual function, and sexual victimization in emerging adults. The aim of this study was to explore these associations by comparing young people with different levels of sexual functioning. Design and Method: In December 2021, an online survey was conducted in a national sample of emerging Croatian adults. Two-stage stratified sampling by region and settlement size was used to randomly include participants (aged 18-25 years) from a commercial panel. The final weighted sample had 1, 210 participants (Mage = 21.7, SD = 2.21 ; 48.0% female participants). One-item measures of sexual difficulties and victimization were used. Binary and multinomial logistic regression was used to identify predictors and correlates of reduced sexual function. Results: Sexual difficulties in the past 12 months were reported by 27.2% female and 14.0% male participants. Substantial or severe distress caused by sexual difficulties was reported by 34.4% and 37.1% of them, respectively. More female participants experienced lifetime sexual victimization (42.8%), compared to male participants (16.1%). Once sociodemographic characteristics were controlled for, increased odds of reporting sexual difficulties, compared to participants in the no sexual difficulties group, were associated lifetime sexual victimization. Increased odds of sexual difficulties were also linked to female gender and being in a relationship or married. Lower sexual satisfaction was associated with sexual difficulties, particularly among participants who reported substantial or severe level of distress caused by sexual difficulties. Conclusions: Sexual difficulties were relatively common in this national sample of emerging adults, particularly women. Lifetime sexual victimization was even more frequent. The finding that emerging adults who reported sexual victimization were characterized by a higher risk of sexual difficulties and lower sexual satisfaction points to the need for public health prevention and intervention programs in this population.

distressing sexual function ; sexual victimization ; sexual satisfaction ; young adults

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