A recent long-term study by the University of Zurich and Utrecht shows the influence of self-esteem on people’s sexual satisfaction. The study is representative, took place over a period of 12 years and was conducted among 11,000 participants. The researchers recognised a dynamic interaction between self-esteem and sexual satisfaction. The results provide impetus for measures to improve sexual well-being.


Zurich, September 25th, 2024 Self-esteem is the subjective feeling about one’s own worth. Constantly reflecting on oneself and making judgements based on this is already part of it. If human needs remain unfulfilled or unsatisfied, this already leads to frustration and thus to self-criticism, which people deal with in very different ways. Sexuality is a basic need and essential for community building. Bonds between people are also a basic need and essential or better described as meaningful, which is equally essential and existentially important for one’s own being.

Until now, theories have assumed that people with higher self-esteem usually also have more satisfying sexual relationships and that the two influence each other. The long-term study now looks at the interaction in relation to time for the first time. ‘People with higher self-esteem tend not only to be more sexually active, but also to feel greater satisfaction with their sexual experiences,’ explain the authors Elisa Weber and Wiebke Bleidorn from the UZH Institute of Psychology.

This existing sexual satisfaction is also accompanied by a change in self-esteem. The increase in self-esteem in turn has an effect on satisfaction through sexual events. This intra-individual interaction shows that self-esteem and sexual satisfaction can influence each other.

If we view self-worth as a kind of social measurement tool, it can be used to measure how accepted and valued we feel in our relationships with other people. It therefore quickly becomes clear that people who do things to please others have a lower sense of self-worth. They are less in touch with themselves and favour their own imbalance. Self-esteem can be increased through positive experiences in social and intimate relationships.

Social rejection or negative experiences lead to frustration and therefore a mental downward spiral. At this point, it is important to know that the environment of people I live in can be the trigger for these rejections and it is advisable to move to healthier environments. The frequent phenomenon of being a subjectively unwanted person can also intensify the feeling of rejection and put pressure on self-esteem. Negative experiences are therefore a warning signal and have a long-term effect on self-esteem. Ongoing social changes are likely to exacerbate this problem in the future.

Communication is fundamentally a means that can be a major trigger and deciding factor for polarisation towards one’s own value. According to the study, people with higher self-esteem may be better at communicating their desires and preferences to intimate partners. In the long term, this has a positive effect on greater sexual well-being.

Basically, with the support of the study, it can be said that sexuality is at least significant for the reproduction of people and is therefore clearly linked to personality development and fulfilment. As I endeavour to develop myself, my environment also develops or unfolds in response to my changes and thus affects the development of my well-being and attractiveness.

The interrelationships vary from person to person. Some people cope better alone, others are very dependent on functioning relationships. Age and gender also play a role, as the study makes clear.

‘Answering these questions is of immense importance,’ says Wiebke Bleidorn, categorising the study. ‘Our results show that self-esteem plays an important role in our sexual satisfaction, especially with regard to sexual well-being. At the same time, changes in sexual well-being can also lead to changes in self-esteem. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between self-esteem and sexual experience and provide important impetus for future research in this area,’ says the author.

Originalpublication:

Weber, E., Hopwood, C. J., Denissen, J. J. A., & Bleidorn, W. (2024). Self-Esteem and Sexual Experiences. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18 September 2024. DOI: 10.1177/01461672241257355

Further Information:

https://www.news.uzh.ch/de/articles/media/2024/Selbstwert.html Zur Medienmitteilung

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