Differential Associations of Emotion Regulation Strategies and Sexual Attitudes with Sexual Shame: A Generalized Additive Model Analysis

Sexual shame is a complex, self-conscious emotion that can severely disrupt sexual and relational well-being. While emotional experiences and cognitive beliefs heavily influence human sexuality, the specific roles of emotion regulation strategies and sexual attitudes in predicting sexual shame remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate these dynamics. A cross-sectional sample of 210 adults completed an online survey assessing sexual shame, emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), and broad sexual attitudes. Generalized additive models (GAM) were employed to evaluate potential complex, non-linear associations. Results indicated that the complete model, encompassing both emotion regulation and sexual attitudes, accounted for approximately 20% of the variance in sexual shame (adjusted R2 = 0.202). While general sexual attitudes did not significantly relate to sexual shame, emotion regulation strategies emerged as robust predictors. Notably, expressive suppression exhibited a significant non-linear association characterized by an accelerating slope: low-to-moderate suppression showed a flatter association, whereas high levels were steeply connected to increased sexual shame. Conversely, cognitive reappraisal demonstrated a consistent, negative linear association. These findings suggest that the habitual use of specific emotion regulation strategies, rather than broader sexual belief systems, is a primary correlate of sexual shame. Ultimately, how individuals habitually process emotions appears more central to the experience of sexual shame than their general sexual attitudes, providing a novel framework for understanding negative emotional responses in sexuality.