Surviving cancer: The importance of sexual self-concept

✍ Scribed by Andersen, Barbara L.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 99 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0098-1532
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-911x(199907)33:1<15::aid-mpo4>3.0.co;2-l

✦ Synopsis

Sexual self-schemas are cognitive generalizations regarding sexual aspects of the self; they represent a core component of one's sexuality. We contend that individual differences in sexual self-view are an important cognitive diathesis for predicting sexual difficulty or dysfunction. We illustrate the role of sexual selfschemas in sexual behavior and responsiveness in healthy female and male samples. Next, we examine the diathetic properties of sexual selfschemas. Finally, we discuss an empirical test of the proposed diathesis-stress interaction, reviewing the role of women's sexual self-views on sexual morbidity following diagnosis and treatment for gynecologic cancer.