Can affectionate touch positively impact one's body satisfaction and romantic wellbeing?
CEPR Assistant Research Scientist Jessica Campbell, Ph.D. and her colleagues explore this very question and more in their recent paper, “Women Who Experience More Affectionate Touch Report Better Body Satisfaction and Relationship Outcomes”, published in The Journal of Sex Research.
Results from the study suggest “affectionate touch (e.g., holding hands, hugging) improves relationship functioning in part through improving self-evaluations relevant to one’s body or physical appearance.”1
Findings also illuminate potential strategies for enhancing one's sense of comfort in their body. Preferred touch intensity and regular, gentle, and voluntary (instead of solicited) positive physical contact can all bolster body satisfaction.
Read the full article online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2024.2310705
1 Jessica T. Campbell, Margaret Bennett-Brown, Ellen M. Kaufman, Amanda N. Gesselman, David A. Frederick, Justin R. Garcia & Kristen P. Mark (2024) Women Who Experience More Affectionate Touch Report Better Body Satisfaction and Relationship Outcomes, The Journal of Sex Research, DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2310705