Emotional Intelligence and Sexual Functioning in a Sample of Swiss Men and Women.

INTRODUCTION

Past research has emphasized the importance of psychologic factors in the multifactorial etiology of sexual problems.

AIM: The purpose of the study was to examine (i) how emotional intelligence (EI) associates with sexual functioning; and (ii) whether EI moderates the association between sexual functioning and sexual quality of life (SQoL).

METHODS

A total of 211 participants completed questionnaires relating to EI, sexual functioning, and SQoL. A set of standardized and validated questionnaires were used, including the International Index of Erectile Function, the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool, the Female Sexual Function Index, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), and the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire (SQoL).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation, partial correlation, and moderation analyses were used to investigate the associations and moderations.

RESULTS

When taking into account age and relationship duration, EI was significantly negatively correlated with female sexual desire only (rs  = -0.39, P < 0.01). No associations between EI and male sexual functioning on any domain could be detected. A moderation effect of EI in the association between sexual satisfaction and SQoL was observed in women, but not in men. Sexual functioning correlated positively with SQoL in both sexes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show for the first time an association between female desire levels and normal variations in EI. Findings also tentatively suggest a relative gender difference in the factors contributing to sexual problems and SQoL, although results need to be confirmed in larger samples.