The Role of Ageist Sexual Stereotypes in the Network of Sexual Difficulties, Sex and Relationship Satisfaction among Adults Aged 50+
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Objective: With increasing age, sexual activity, including sexual and relationship satisfaction, may change due to the emergence of health and sexual difficulties and the activation of internalized ageist sexual stereotypes. We examined whether ageist sexual stereotypes may be relevant to reassessing the importance of sex in people aged 50+ and how sexual and relationship satisfaction relates to health and sexual difficulties when ageist sexual stereotypes are considered. Design and Method: Data for the network analysis were collected from a sample of 897 Czechs and Slovaks aged 50–96 (52% men, mean age = 62.01). Two models were analyzed – with and without the inclusion of ageist sexual stereotypes. Results: The study results indicated that ageist sexual stereotypes play an important role in the sexuality of women and men aged 50+. The fewer ageist sexual stereotypes people had, the less sexual difficulties they reported and the more they perceived sex as important. The inclusion of stereotypes into the models, however, weakened the negative link between sexual difficulties and the importance of sex for both women and men. Conclusions: These findings show that the effect of ageist sexual stereotypes might be complex in the sexual lives of people aged 50+. They highlight the importance of assessing the context in which ageist sexual stereotypes arise and examining their potential impact on their clients’ sexual well-being. This information can help clinicians provide their patients with more tailored and effective care. |
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