Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Sexual Motivation Associated with Faking Orgasm among Hungarian Women

Meskó, Norbert and Csányi, Edit and Inhóf, Orsolya and Zsidó, András N. (2025) Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Sexual Motivation Associated with Faking Orgasm among Hungarian Women. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SEXUAL HEALTH, 37 (3). pp. 468-485. ISSN Print 1931-7611 Online 1931-762X

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Abstract

Objectives: Faking orgasm is a common yet psychologically complex behavior among women, shaped by both emotional vulnerabilities and sexual motivations. This study examined the psychological correlates of faking orgasm in two sexual contexts—vaginal intercourse and oral sex—focusing on difficulties in emotion regulation and sexual motivation. Method: A sample of 425 Hungarian women completed self-report measures assessing six facets of emotion regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale), three types of sexual motivation (Hungarian Short Form of the Reasons for Having Sex Questionnaire), and four motives for faking orgasm in each context (Faking Orgasm Scale). We used a dual analytic approach combining network analysis and multiple linear regressions to explore and predict context-specific patterns. Results: Faking orgasm was associated with emotion regulation difficulties—especially nonacceptance of emotions, impulse control problems, and lack of emotional clarity—and with sexual motivations related to coping, personal goals, and partner-focused concerns. These associations were stronger and more interconnected in vaginal intercourse than in oral sex. Network centrality analyses identified coping-related motivation and emotion regulation deficits as key variables. Conclusions: Faking orgasm may serve as a strategic emotion regulation behavior embedded in relational dynamics and sociocultural scripts. The findings highlight the importance of addressing emotional literacy, sexual communication, and relational expectations in clinical and educational contexts. Future research should investigate real-time affective processes and cultural norms that shape women’s sexual behavior.

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