What does this research mean for the field?

Sexual mentalizing has reciprocal longitudinal associations with sexual function and interpersonal sexual activity across genders, acting as a key psychological ability that shapes sexual behavior over time. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate the longitudinal associations between sexual mentalizing, general mentalizing, sexual function, sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction.

August 30, 2026The Journal of Sex ResearchOpen Access

How We Mentalize Shapes Our Sexual Life: Evidence from a Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

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To investigate the longitudinal associations between sexual mentalizing, general mentalizing, sexual function, sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction.
Assessed German-speaking adults twice over a 4-month interval using an online survey (N = 2,650 [1,191 women] at T1; N = 1,769 [799 women] at T2).
Measured general and sexual mentalizing, sexual function, interpersonal and autoerotic sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction.
Estimated reciprocal relationships using gender-stratified cross-lagged path models.
Sexual mentalizing and both sexual function and interpersonal sexual activity showed significant bidirectional, reciprocal associations in both men and women.
Sexual satisfaction predicted sexual mentalizing in both genders, but sexual mentalizing did not predict sexual satisfaction.
Autoerotic sexual activity was reciprocally linked to sexual mentalizing in women only, and general mentalizing predicted sexual mentalizing solely in men.

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Implication

Panel study reveals reciprocal links between sexual mentalizing, sexual function, and activity in adults, highlighting the value of mentalization-based interventions for sexual health.

Cite This Study

Gaertner et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f0f56c1a8fb52e79d83a https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2026.2722330

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Implication

Panel study reveals reciprocal links between sexual mentalizing, sexual function, and activity in adults, highlighting the value of mentalization-based interventions for sexual health.

How We Mentalize Shapes Our Sexual Life: Evidence from a Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

How We Mentalize Shapes Our Sexual Life: Evidence from a Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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