{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,4]],"date-time":"2026-06-04T10:21:09Z","timestamp":1780568469806,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,12]],"date-time":"2023-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1673481600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/journals\/pages\/open_access\/funder_policies\/chorus\/standard_publication_model"}],"funder":[{"name":"Psychology Research Center","award":["UIDB\/PSI\/01662\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/PSI\/01662\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Psychology for Positive Development Research Center","award":["UIDB\/04375\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04375\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,14]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Sexual dysfunctional beliefs are known to be negative predictors of women\u2019s sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction, but little is known about the role that beliefs about sexual functioning play in women\u2019s sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of sexual functioning in the relationship between women\u2019s beliefs about sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A sample of 301 women was invited to participate in a web survey about female sexuality in May 2020.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Outcomes<\/jats:title><jats:p>Participants completed the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beliefs About Sexual Functioning Scale, the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women, and the Female Sexual Functioning Index.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Sexual functioning was a significant mediator in the relationship between beliefs about sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women. When the dimensions of sexual functioning were considered as mediators, only sexual desire and absence of sexual pain were significant mediators in the relationship between beliefs about sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Clinical Implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Negative beliefs about sexual functioning in women are associated with poor sexual functioning and lack of sexual satisfaction. Therefore, beliefs about sexual functioning should be assessed during the intervention for women\u2019s sexual difficulties and to increase sexual pleasure and satisfaction. In addition, special attention should be paid to women with problems with sexual desire and sexual pain when beliefs about sexual functioning are being assessed.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Strengths and Limitations<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study is one of the first attempts to explore the role of beliefs about sexual functioning in women\u2019s sexual satisfaction and to examine the mediating role of sexual functioning. Limitations include the small sample size, the lack of a clinical sample, and the nonlongitudinal methodological approach.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Beliefs about sexual functioning are a negative predictor of sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction in women. In addition, women with sexual pain and lack of sexual desire are more likely to have lower sexual satisfaction if they have more negative beliefs about sexual functioning.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/jsxmed\/qdac014","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,12]],"date-time":"2023-01-12T09:09:36Z","timestamp":1673514576000},"page":"170-176","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Sexual functioning beliefs, sexual satisfaction, and sexual functioning in women: a cross-sectional mediation analysis"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Maria Manuela","family":"Peixoto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Psicologia da Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"J\u00falia","family":"Lopes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Psicologia e Ci\u00eancias da Educa\u00e7\u00e3o, Universidade Lus\u00edada\u2013Porto , Porto , Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1080\/00224490609552300","article-title":"Dysfunctional sexual beliefs as vulnerability factors for sexual dysfunction","volume":"43","author":"Nobre","year":"2006","journal-title":"J Sex Res"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1080\/00926230802096358","article-title":"Cognitive and emotional predictors of female sexual dysfunctions: preliminary findings","volume":"34","author":"Nobre","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Sex Marital Ther"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"842","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-008-9450-x","article-title":"Cognitive schemas associated with negative sexual events: a comparison of men and women with and without sexual dysfunction","volume":"38","author":"Nobre","year":"2009","journal-title":"Arch Sex Behav"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1080\/0092623X.2012.665813","article-title":"The role of trait-affect, depression, and anxiety in women with sexual dysfunction: a pilot study","volume":"39","author":"Oliveira","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Sex Marital Ther"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1823","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-020-01732-9","article-title":"Cognitive-emotional predictors of sexual functioning in lesbians, gays, and heterosexuals","volume":"49","author":"Peixoto","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arch Sex Behav"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sxmr.2020.03.002","article-title":"The role of cognitive processing factors in sexual function and dysfunction in women and men: a systematic review","volume":"8","author":"Tavares","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sex Med Rev"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1708","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsxm.2016.08.013","article-title":"Determinants of women\u2019s sexual dissatisfaction: assessing a cognitive-emotional model","volume":"13","author":"Abdolmanafi","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsxm.2018.03.007","article-title":"Culture and sexuality: cognitive-emotional determinants of sexual dissatisfaction among Iranian and New Zealand women","volume":"15","author":"Abdolmanafi","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1080\/0092623X.2021.1986185","article-title":"Sexual satisfaction and cognitive schemas activated in a sexual context among Iranian married women of reproductive age","volume":"48","author":"Bahrami","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Sex Marital Ther"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1080\/00224499.2010.551792","article-title":"The relationship between sex guilt and sexual desire in a community sample of Chinese and Euro-Canadian women","volume":"49","author":"Woo","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Sex Res"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"613","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsxm.2017.01.021","article-title":"Development and initial validation of the beliefs about sexual functioning scale: a gender invariant measure","volume":"14","author":"Pascoal","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Sex Med"},{"key":"2023021713593446500_","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1080\/19317611.2019.1654587","article-title":"Why pleasure matters: its global relevance for sexual health. 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