Modeling Dyadic Trajectories: Longitudinal Changes in Sexual Satisfaction for Newlywed Couples

Ghodse-Elahi, Yasaman; Neff, Lisa A.; Shrout, Patrick E.

doi:10.1007/s10508-021-02075-9

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…These findings offer important insight into processes of relationship development, and lend further support to both interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978 ; Thibaut & Kelley, 1959 ) and its theoretical extension to sexual satisfaction—the interpersonal exchange model of sexual satisfaction (Lawrance & Byers, 1995 ). Although both sexual and marital satisfaction decline over time (e.g., McNulty et al, 2016 ), there is substantial between-person variability in these trajectories (Ghodse-Elahi et al, 2021 ; Proulx et al, 2017 ). Indeed, findings from latent class analyses suggest that initial satisfaction helps account for such variability—individuals who remain satisfied with their relationships were satisfied at the outset, whereas others who show the steepest decline were less satisfied at the outset (Proulx et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of a Bidirectional Association Between Daily Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction That Is Moderated by Daily Stress

et al. 2022

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Prior research provides mixed evidence regarding the direction of the association between sexual and marital satisfaction. Whereas some studies suggest a bidirectional association, other studies fail to document one direction or the other. The current investigation used a 12-day diary study of 287 married individuals to clarify the nature of this association. Results from time-lagged mixed modeling revealed a significant positive bidirectional association. Both higher global sexual satisfaction one day and satisfaction with sex that occurred that day predicted higher marital satisfaction the next day; likewise, higher marital satisfaction one day significantly predicted higher global sexual satisfaction the next day and higher satisfaction with sex that occurred the next day. Both associations remained significant after controlling for participant’s gender/sex, neuroticism, attachment insecurity, self-esteem, stress, perceived childhood unpredictability and harshness, age of first intercourse, construal level, age, and length of marriage. We also explored whether these covariates moderated either direction of the association. Daily stress was the most reliable moderator, with three of the four interactions tested remaining significant after Bonferroni corrections. The bidirectional association between global sexual and marital satisfaction and the positive association between satisfaction with sex that occurred that day and marital satisfaction the next day were significantly stronger when individuals experienced high versus low stress. Although the exploratory nature of all moderation analyses suggests they should be replicated before drawing strong conclusions, these findings highlight the importance of sexual satisfaction to marital satisfaction and vice versa and point to the power of stress in strengthening these associations.

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