Using a Structural Equation Model to Examine Factors Affecting Married Individuals' Sexual Embarrassment

Abstract

This study aimed to predict the effects of levels of sexual awareness, sexual courage, and sexual self-disclosure on sexual embarrassment. Data was collected from 336 married individuals, who have students in the Sultangazi District of Istanbul. According to the structural equation model (SEM), sexual self-disclosure, directly, and sexual courage and sexual awareness, indirectly, predicted sexual embarrassment. Hence, sexual self-disclosure was a moderator, and the model had acceptable indexes. The significant chi-square values were x(2) = 287.29, df = 146, p = 0.00. The fit-index values were RMSEA = .054, GFI = .92, AGFI = .89, CFI = .95, IFI = .95, NFI = .91, NNFI = .95, SRMR = .05, and CI = (0.045; 0.063). Comparing participants' sexual embarrassment in terms of gender, women showed more sexual embarrassment than men; conversely, men showed more sexual courage than women. In terms of marriage style, the participants with arranged marriages showed more sexual embarrassment than those with dating marriages; those with dating marriages showed more sexual courage than those with arranged marriages. Furthermore, in terms of education level and marriage duration, the lower the educational level, the higher the sexual embarrassment, and the greater the duration of marriage, the greater the sexual embarrassment.