The sexual experience of Italian adults during the COVID-19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Federici ◽  
Alessandro Lepri ◽  
Alessandra Castellani Mencarelli ◽  
Evel Zingone ◽  
Rosella De Leonibus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sexual Life ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Multimethod Research ◽  
Social Closeness ◽  
Negative Thoughts ◽  
The Mean

From March 11 to April 26, 2020, the Italian government imposed a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, a quarantine that resulted in significant restrictions on the movement and social contacts of the population, with a view to limiting the pandemic outbreak. The quarantine forced people to experience distorted social distance in two contrasting ways. For some people, it resulted in social distancing and isolation, for example by separating noncohabiting couples into different dwellings. For others, however, quarantine increased and imposed social closeness, forcing couples and families into constant, daily, and prolonged cohabitation. The aim of this study was to investigate the sexual health and behaviors of Italian adults during the lockdown period using a multimethod research. An open- and a closed-ended e-questionnaire were administered immediately after the end of the lockdown. A total of 465 Italian adults completed the digital questionnaire (female = 78.7%). Participants recognized their lived sexual experience with generally positive characteristics (related to openness, unproblematic relationship with the body, and awareness and self-reflection about one’s sexuality), while negative thoughts such as worry and pain were quite scarce. Participants with a disability (5.6%) showed a marked inversion compared to the mean of respondents, recognizing themselves mainly in negative thoughts related to low self-esteem, inadequacy, and feelings of suffering, yet reporting a higher than mean level of arousal. In the qualitative analysis, the TF-IDF index was measured to extract the salient words employed by respondents to answer the five open-ended questions; this revealed a generally depressed emotional experience associated with the experience of lockdown, both in terms of desire, which seemed to be shifted more to the level of imagination and fantasies, and the actual possibility of experiencing sexual activity as usual. Nevertheless, the participants emphasized an opening to new possibilities in terms of expressing sexuality, accompanied by a rediscovery of the value of tenderness and affectivity as well as a clearer awareness of their sexual life, needs, and desires.

scholarly journals Estimation of Motion and Respiratory Characteristics during the Meditation Practice Based on Video Analysis

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 3771
Author(s):  
Alexey Kashevnik ◽  
Walaa Othman ◽  
Igor Ryabchikov ◽  
Nikolay Shilov
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Rate ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Body Movement ◽  
Absolute Error ◽  
The Body ◽  
Meditation Practice ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Mental Health Training ◽  
Negative Thoughts ◽  
The Mean

Meditation practice is mental health training. It helps people to reduce stress and suppress negative thoughts. In this paper, we propose a camera-based meditation evaluation system, that helps meditators to improve their performance. We rely on two main criteria to measure the focus: the breathing characteristics (respiratory rate, breathing rhythmicity and stability), and the body movement. We introduce a contactless sensor to measure the respiratory rate based on a smartphone camera by detecting the chest keypoint at each frame, using an optical flow based algorithm to calculate the displacement between frames, filtering and de-noising the chest movement signal, and calculating the number of real peaks in this signal. We also present an approach to detecting the movement of different body parts (head, thorax, shoulders, elbows, wrists, stomach and knees). We have collected a non-annotated dataset for meditation practice videos consists of ninety videos and the annotated dataset consists of eight videos. The non-annotated dataset was categorized into beginner and professional meditators and was used for the development of the algorithm and for tuning the parameters. The annotated dataset was used for evaluation and showed that human activity during meditation practice could be correctly estimated by the presented approach and that the mean absolute error for the respiratory rate is around 1.75 BPM, which can be considered tolerable for the meditation application.

Influenza dei media, autostima e insoddisfazione corporea in un gruppo di preadolescenti maschi e femmine

2009 ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Amanda Nerini
Keyword(s):  
Body Dissatisfaction ◽  
Body Shape ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Thin Body ◽  
Media Influence ◽  
Thin Ideal ◽  
Sociocultural Attitudes ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Source Of Information

- The present study analyses the relation among media influence, self esteem and body dissatisfaction in a group of preadolescent boys and girls. 243 preadolescents with the mean age of 12 were involved. The group consisted of 127 boys and 116 girls. They were asked to complete the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3; Thompson et al., 2004), the Body Shape Questionnaire (Dowson e Henderson, 2001) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Preadolescent females reported higher levels of body dissatisfaction than preadolescent males. They also scored higher in three SATAQ-3 subscales: whether media are important source of information about being attractive, internalization of a media thin ideal and perceived media pressures to be thin. Body mass index and internalization of a thin ideal emerged as significant predictors of body dissatisfaction for both sexes. Perceived media pressures predict body dissatisfaction only among girls.Key words: media influence, self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, preadolescenceParole chiave: influenza dei media, autostima, insoddisfazione corporea, preadolescenza.

Sexual Disembodiment: Sexual Energy, Trauma, and the Body

2021 ◽  
pp. 002216782199614
Author(s):  
Samuel Arthur Malkemus ◽  
Jessica F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Sexual Trauma ◽  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sexual Life ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Somatic Psychology ◽  
Sexual Identities ◽  
The Social

This article introduces the concept of sexual disembodiment as a functional term for understanding the bodily dynamics of sexual trauma and the dissociative process that may follow. Its contribution lies in bringing an understanding of sexual health and sexual trauma into the framework of somatic psychology. It is suggested that sexual disembodiment can occur when the experience of sexuality causes distress; sexuality is then coupled with fear, dissociated to varying degrees, and suppressed from embodied awareness. While recognizing the primary role that biology and neurophysiology play in the formation of sexual identity, the authors also highlight the social construction of sexual life and suggest that oppression of nonnormative sexual identities can constrain healthy sexual expression. This article takes a holistic approach to sexual experience, combining an experiential understanding of sexual energy with a neurophysiological understanding of sexual trauma to frame a perspective on sexual disembodiment that is person-centered, socially informed, and critical of reductive tendencies within biomedical models of mental health. It is suggested that healing sexual disembodiment may be a critical step in liberating authentic sexual identity.

scholarly journals Self-Harm Behaviour in Adolescents: Body Image and Self-Esteem

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesile Oktan
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Perception ◽  
School Students ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Relationship

This research aimed to reveal the relationship between self-harm behaviour, body image, and self-esteem, and examined whether there was a difference between the body image and self-esteem of the adolescents who exhibited self-harm behaviour and those who did not. The study was conducted with the participation of 263 high school students — 143 females (54.3%) and 120 males (45.6%) — who studied in various high schools in the Trabzon province, Turkey. The students’ ages ranged from 15 to 18; the mean age was 17.02 (SD = 1.59). The research was conducted using the Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury, the Body Perception Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a personal information form. The research concluded that there was a significant relationship between body image and self-esteem of the adolescents, and that body image and self-esteem were the significant regressors of self-harm behaviour.

scholarly journals What is the “weight” of body mass index on sexual functioning in women? A mediation model

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Di Nardo ◽  
Chiara Conti ◽  
Giulia Di Francesco ◽  
Giulia Nicolardi ◽  
Maria Teresa Guagnano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Sexual Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sexual Life

Abstract Purpose It is well known that body mass index (BMI) affects how individuals perceive their well-being and that obese individuals tend to report poorer levels of subjective health status. The aim of this study was to compare subjects with and without FSD and to examine the direct and indirect impact of BMI on female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in overweight/obese and normal-weight women. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 186 overweight/obese and 233 normal-weight women. FSD assessed with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was investigated in relation to body satisfaction assessed with the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT-A) and self-esteem assessed with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSE). Results No difference in the prevalence of FSD was found between overweight/obese (44.4%) and normal-weight women (55.6%), even though significant between-group differences in body image were found. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) showed that BMI contribute to FSD only through the mediating role of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem. Conclusions The present results support the notion that sexual functioning is not related directly to BMI in women but to a more complex interactions of body weight, satisfaction with one’s own body image, and levels of self-esteem. Clinicians should take into account that for women having a good sexual life seems not related to body weight but to the way their body weight is perceived within the context of self-image. Level of evidence Level III, case–control analytic study.

A Stellenbosch University #FeesMustFall Herstory: Reflections of a So-Called "Radical Black Intersectional Feminist"

Politeia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashanti Kunene
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Patriarchal Narratives

#FeesMustFall was a movement whose maxim was, “This revolution will be intersectional, or it will be bullshit.” This article is a self-reflection on my participation as a so-called radical black intersectional feminist in the #FeesMustFall movement at Stellenbosch University. It is also an attempt to provide evidence of the double erasures taking place in the mainstream patriarchal narratives about the #FeesMustFall movement. My story bears witness to the fact that queer black womxn were the backbone of the movement and that #FeesMustFall did indeed occur at Stellenbosch University. These constitute the double erasures taking place in terms of what is and can be known about the #FeesMustFall movement. My reflections serve to make a much-needed contribution to the body of knowledge produced about the #FeesMustFall movement.

Evaluation of Salivary Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress Markers in Male Smokers

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 496-501
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Ahmadi-Motamayel ◽  
Parisa Falsafi ◽  
Hamidreza Abolsamadi ◽  
Mohammad T. Goodarzi ◽  
Jalal Poorolajal
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Uric Acid ◽  
Free Radicals ◽  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Cigarette Smoke ◽  
Total Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Total Antioxidant ◽  
The Mean ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

Background: Cigarette smoke free radicals can cause cellular damage and different diseases. All the body fluids have antioxidants which protect against free radicals. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary total antioxidant capacity and peroxidase, uric acid and malondialdehyde levels in smokers and a nonsmoking control group. Methods: Unstimulated saliva was collected from 510 males. A total of 259 subjects were current smokers and 251 were non-smokers. The levels of salivary total antioxidant capacity, uric acid, peroxidase and malondialdehyde were measured using standard procedures. Data were analyzed with t test and ANOVA. Results: The smokers were younger and dental hygiene index was higher than healthy nonsmoking controls. The mean total antioxidant capacity in smokers and nonsmokers was 0.13±0.07 and 0.21±011, respectively (P=0.001). Smokers had significantly lower peroxidase and uric acid levels than healthy controls. In addition, the mean malondialdehyde levels in the smokers and nonsmokers were 4.55 ±2.61 and 2.79 ±2.21, respectively (P=0.001). Conclusion: Cigarette smoke produces free radical and oxidative stress, causing many side effects. Salivary antioxidant levels decreased and malondialdehyde levels increased in smokers, indicating the high oxidative stress among smokers compared to nonsmokers. Cigarette smoke had deleterious effects on main salivary antioxidants levels.

Effect of High Plane of Nutrition on Blood Biochemical Profile and Onset of Puberty in Prepubertal HF X Kankrej Crossbred Heifers

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
K K Hadiya ◽  
A J Dhami ◽  
D V Chaudhari ◽  
P M Lunagariya
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
The Body ◽  
Monthly Interval ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Blood Biochemical ◽  
Lower Protein ◽  
The Mean

This study was initiated on 24 prepubertal Holstein x Kankrej crossbred heifers of nearly identical age (7-9 months) and body weight (130-140 kg) at University farm to evaluate the effect of high plane of nutrition on blood biochemical and minerals profile and the age at puberty. Twelve heifers were managed under routine farm feeding (control) and the rest 12 under ideal optimum feeding regime (treatment) that included extra 1 kg concentrate, 30 g min mix and ad-lib dry fodder. The body weight and ovarian ultrasonography together with blood sampling was carried out at monthly interval from 10 to 18 months of age to study the ovarian dynamics and blood biochemical changes. High plane of nutrition to growing heifers was beneficial in reducing the age of onset of puberty (by 2-3 months) compared to routine farm fed group. The mean plasma total protein and cholesterol concentrations showed a rising trend with significant variations from 10 to 16 months of age, where it got mostly stabilized indicating adult profile. The activity of enzymes GOT and GPT also rose gradually and significantly from 10 months till 14-15 months of age, and thereafter it remained more or less static till 18 months of age. The levels of both these enzymes were higher, with lower protein and cholesterol, in control than the treatment group from 15-16 months of age onwards. The mean plasma levels of both calcium and phosphorus increased gradually and significantly with advancing age till 16-17 months of age, with little higher values in supplemented than a control group. The plasma levels of zinc, iron, copper, and cobalt also showed rising trend with significant differences between 10th and 12th-14th months of age, and from 15th to 18th months of age the levels were statistically the same in all the groups with slightly higher values in the treatment group.

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