Book Description
Romantic relationships form an integral part of young adults' lives. Sexual activity within romantic relationships fosters pleasure and emotional intimacy. However, some individuals are unable to enjoy partnered sexual activity due to distracting thoughts. The content of these thoughts can vary, but research suggests that body and appearance concerns (BACDSA) are the most prevalent. Much of the BACDSA research has been conducted with white college students. Thus, the factors that impact BACDSA in ethnic minorities and men are unclear. The current study aimed to bridge the gap in the literature by examining the factors that impact BACDSA in Latina and Latino college students. Findings indicate that overall Latina women are more dissatisfied with their appearance than Latino men, and consequently experience greater extent of BACDSA. For women, body image as well as relationship variables predicted BACDSA. Surprisingly, overweight preoccupation was also a significant predictor of BACDSA for men. Overall, the sample reported low levels of cognitive distraction and did not differ significantly from other ethnic groups.