ABSTRACT

Sexual responding in transgender people has typically been investigated from a medical and functional perspective. Aligning with the biopsychosocial model, it is however equally important to consider psychological aspects of sexuality in this population. We propose that the Sexual Self-Concept (SSC) theory offers a valuable framework to understand (sexual) wellbeing in transgender people, while Self-Concept Discrepancy (SCD) theory could offer an explanation of the mechanisms underlying negative SSCs related to gender dysphoria. We investigated differences in SSC (consisting of sexual esteem, sexual attitudes, and sexual self-efficacy) in 197 binary transgender and 205 cisgender individuals using an online survey and explored the mediating role of actual/ideal self-discrepancies in explaining the relation between gender dysphoria and SSC. Transgender and cisgender individuals differed significantly in seven out of eight components related to sexual esteem and sexual attitudes. Actual/ideal self-discrepancies mediated the relationship between gender dysphoria and the SSC in transgender individuals for the sexual esteem components related to body perception, conduct, and attractiveness, as well as for sexual anxiety. We found no relation between gender dysphoria and the other SSC components in this group. We conclude that SSC discrepancies could be a valuable treatment target to improve transgender individuals’ sexual esteem and sexual attitudes.

摘要

跨性别者的性反应通常从医学和功能的角度进行调查。然而，与生物心理社会模型一致，考虑这一人群中性行为的心理方面同样重要。我们提出性自我概念（SSC）理论为理解跨性别者的（性）幸福感提供了一个有价值的框架，而自我概念差异（SCD）理论可以解释与性别焦虑相关的负性 SSC 的机制。我们使用在线调查调查了 197 名二元跨性别者和 205 名顺性别者的 SSC（包括性自尊、性态度和性自我效能）差异，并探讨了实际/理想自我差异在解释性别之间关系中的中介作用烦躁和SSC。跨性别和顺性别个体在与性自尊和性态度相关的八个组成部分中有七个存在显着差异。实际/理想的自我差异介导了跨性别个体的性别焦虑与 SSC 之间的关系，这些关系涉及与身体感知、行为和吸引力以及性焦虑相关的性自尊成分。我们发现性别焦虑症与该组中的其他 SSC 成分之间没有关系。我们得出结论，SSC 差异可能是一个有价值的治疗目标，以提高跨性别者的性自尊和性态度。实际/理想的自我差异介导了跨性别个体的性别焦虑与 SSC 之间的关系，这些关系涉及与身体感知、行为和吸引力以及性焦虑相关的性自尊成分。我们发现性别焦虑症与该组中的其他 SSC 成分之间没有关系。我们得出结论，SSC 差异可能是一个有价值的治疗目标，以提高跨性别者的性自尊和性态度。实际/理想的自我差异介导了跨性别个体的性别焦虑与 SSC 之间的关系，这些关系涉及与身体感知、行为和吸引力以及性焦虑相关的性自尊成分。我们发现性别焦虑症与该组中的其他 SSC 成分之间没有关系。我们得出结论，SSC 差异可能是一个有价值的治疗目标，以提高跨性别者的性自尊和性态度。