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.