Body Shame and Sexual Sensation Seeking Contribute to Associations Between Interpersonal Objectification Experiences and Sex-Linked Substance Use Among Women in College

Objectification theory suggests that women who are treated as sexual objects may disengage from internal bodily experiences, increasing their risk for sexual dysfunction. Extending this framework, it is possible that when objectification dulls women's sexual sensation, they turn to substances they believe will heighten sexual sensation (i.e. sex-linked substance use; SLSU). The present study examined relationships between interpersonal sexual objectification and women's SLSU, with self-objectification, body shame, and sexual sensation seeking as potential mediators. Women (N = 573) recruited from a Midwestern US university completed validated measures of objectification experiences, self-objectification, body shame, sexual sensation seeking, and SLSU. Serial mediation analyses revealed that both body evaluation and unwanted sexual advances were strongly associated with body shame, which in turn predicted greater sexual sensation seeking and SLSU. Strong associations between self-objectification and sensation seeking further underscore the importance of attending to women's strategies for enhancing pleasure and embodiment in models of objectification and sexual functioning. Clarifying sequelae of SLSU can inform interventions aimed at reducing women's alienation from their sexual selves and supporting sexual wellbeing.