Development of sexual assertiveness and its function for human sexuality: a literature review

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to present a literature review on sexual assertiveness (SA), on factors and life experiences that are associated with its development, and on its function in human sexuality. It was found that demographic variables (e.g., age, education, gender), sexual experiences (e.g., type of partnership, sexual victimization), psychosexual issues (e.g., sexual functioning, body self-esteem, emotion regulation, resourcefulness) and cultural factors (e.g., sexual scripts, gender stereotypes) might positively or negatively contribute to SA. Furthermore, the outcomes of SA for both individuals and intimate relationships are presented. Based on this review, it is concluded that although SA could be fostered by training programs, cultural factors still withhold many individuals from reaching a satisfactory level of SA. Finally, recommendations about how to further the study of SA are presented.