A Study of Sexual Shaming on Body Consciousness, Self Esteem and Relationship Adjustment among Young Adults: A Review Study

Sexual shaming is a socially constructed and judging, stigmatizing or morally condemning individual behaviour, expression, or appearance because of assumed or actual sexual behaviour of that person. Based on the patriarchal norm and sexual double standards, sexual shaming is a form of social regulation that has been disproportionately applied to women and gender minorities. Such social judgments are likely to be internalized resulting in sexual shame that has been associated with a number of adverse psychological consequences. The current review discusses the psychological effects of sexual shaming among young adults, with a special emphasis on the relationship between the said element and body consciousness, self-esteem, and relationship adjustment. This paper will use theoretical approaches, including the objectification theory, shame theory, and developmental psychology, to understand how sexual shaming experiences can lead to increased body surveillance, negative perceptions of the body, low self-esteem, and problems in building and sustaining healthy romantic relationships. The particular stage of development during which young adulthood takes place is the critical phase in which identity is formed, sexuality is explored and intimate relationships established, so individuals are especially subject to the impacts of social evaluation and stigma. Moreover, the growth of social media has contributed to the amplification of the scrutiny of sexuality and its permanence, which further increases the psychological effects of sexual shaming in modern society. Although the topic of sexual shaming is increasingly gaining attention as an important psychosocial problem, few studies have investigated how it impacts a variety of psychological and relationship effects at the same time. The purpose of this review is therefore to integrate current literature in order to obtain a broad view of the impact of sexual shaming on intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning in young adults. Combining the available empirical and theoretical literature, the paper reveals the necessity on the multidimensional study of the interaction between sexual stigma, psychological well-being, and relational adjustment in the modern sociocultural background.