Rose Colored Glasses: An Exploration of the Relationship between Sexual Nostalgia and Sexual Satisfaction

Sexual satisfaction contributes significantly to one's quality of life and offers a variety of mental and physical health benefits. Consequently, numerous studies have examined ways to improve sexual satisfaction. However, no research has investigated how sexual nostalgia (i.e., "the sentimental longing for or wistful reflection on past sexual memories," p. 1539) with one's current partner impacts sexual satisfaction. Thus, this program of research was designed to develop the Sexual Nostalgia Inventory, assess the relationship between sexual nostalgia and sexual satisfaction, and to examine the moderating role of romantic attachment. The results of Study One (N = 227) indicated that the content of sexual memories can be conceptualized into one factor. The results from Study Two (N = 619) revealed that sexual nostalgia was positively related to sexual satisfaction and that romantic attachment moderated these relationships. In particular, the positive association between sexual nostalgia and satisfaction was greatest for those insecurely attached (i.e., those high in anxious and avoidant attachment). These findings have important implications for researchers looking to establish the causal link between nostalgia and satisfaction and clinicians working with couples experiencing low sexual desire and/or unmet sexual needs.

Who am I as a Sexual Being? The Role of Sexual Self-Concept Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Sexual Satisfaction among Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with long-lasting and pervasive impacts on survivors' sexual health, particularly on their sexual satisfaction. Dispositional mindfulness has been found to be associated with greater sexual satisfaction among adult CSA survivors. However, the mechanisms involved in this association remain understudied. The present study examined the role of sexual self-concept (i.e., sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation, and sexual depression) in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and sexual satisfaction among CSA survivors. A total of 176 adult CSA survivors (60.6% women, 39.4% men) completed an online survey assessing dispositional mindfulness, sexual self-concept, and sexual satisfaction. Path analyses revealed that dispositional mindfulness was positively related to sexual satisfaction through a significant indirect effect of higher sexual esteem and lower sexual depression. The integrative model explained 66.5% of the variance in sexual satisfaction. These findings highlight the key roles that dispositional mindfulness and sexual self-concept play in CSA survivors' sexual satisfaction. Implications for interventions based on trauma-sensitive mindfulness targeting the sexual self-concept are discussed, as they may promote sexual satisfaction in adult CSA survivors.

Associations between Relationship Status, Anxiety, Sexual Function, and Sexual Satisfaction in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to describe associations between relationship status, anxiety, and sexual function and satisfaction in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults.

Methods

Linear regression determined associations between sexual function, relationship characteristics and anxiety in 979 LGB participants.

Results

Relationship status was not related to sexual interest in gay men. Partnered relationship status was associated with higher sexual satisfaction for gay men, lesbians, and bisexual women. Anxiety symptoms were negatively associated with sexual interest, satisfaction, and orgasm pleasure for gay men but not associated with sexual outcomes in lesbian women.

Conclusion

Using a nationally representative sample of LGB adults, differences were found in factors related to sexual function and satisfaction by gender and sexual orientation.

Exploring the Relationship between Early Adaptive Schemas and Sexual Satisfaction

Rationale

Early maladaptive schemas (EMS) develop from unmet core emotional needs during childhood and adolescence. EMS influence the way individuals perceive themselves and others, while also sharing associations with various sexual difficulties. Contrastingly, Early Adaptive Schemas (EAS) develop when core emotional needs are met. Yet, the potential influence of EAS on sexual wellbeing remains underinvestigated.

Objective

The current study assessed the relationship between EAS and sexual satisfaction as a primary component of sexual wellbeing.

Method

The study design was an online, cross-sectional survey. Participants included 732 adults (Mage = 32.05, SDage = 9.30), who completed self-report questionnaires assessing sexual satisfaction and EAS.

Results

Two, three-step hierarchical regressions evaluated the effect of EAS on sexual satisfaction, controlling for several potentially confounding variables. Results indicated that the only EAS that was associated with sexual satisfaction in both men and women was Realistic Expectations. EAS of Social Belonging and Success were associated with sexual satisfaction for women alone, whereas Self-Compassion was for men.

Conclusion

Findings provide preliminary evidence that EAS are associated with sexual satisfaction. As such, schema therapy may be a useful therapeutic framework for improving sexual satisfaction, when indicated.

Sexual Experiences and Attachment Styles in Online and Offline Dating Contexts

Nearly 50% of adults under age 29 report using some form of online dating to find sexual partners or romantic relationships. Limited evidence suggests online and offline dating behaviors and experiences can vary. We aimed to expand understanding these differences by examining how attachment styles are associated with online and offline search for partners and emotional responses to sexual experiences. In a sample of single adults (N = 247; M age= 27.34), we examine how attachment styles relate to individual differences in how people search for partners and respond to sexual experiences with partners met online and offline. Individuals high in attachment anxiety reported higher use of online dating apps and more negative experiences (e.g., lower satisfaction, more guilt) following their most recent sexual encounters with partners met online and offline, and reported feeling more used after engaging in sexual activity specifically with partners met offline. Individuals high in avoidance also reported more negative experiences following their most recent sexual encounters, but only with partners met offline. This study moves our understanding by highlighting nuances in how attachment insecurity is associated with differences in online dating app use and emotions following sexual experiences when meeting partners online and offline.

Going beyond "With a Partner" and "Intercourse": Does Anything Else Influence Sexual Satisfaction among Women? The Sexual Satisfaction Comprehensive Index

The validated tools for measuring sexual satisfaction (SS) assess in fact other phenomena such as sexual functioning, assess SS within the context of a romantic heterosexual relationship and intercourse-type activity or were designed to be applied only in therapeutic or rehabilitation contexts. Consequently, they offer an incomplete understanding of SS, particularly among women. We thus developed an alternative measure of SS, the Sexual Satisfaction Comprehensive Index (SSCI), considering both the individual and with-a-partner dimensions, as well as the actual and desired experiences of satisfaction, along with other dimensions affecting SS, and explored its psychometric properties. A total of 1080 young to mid-aged women with different sociodemographic, relationship and sexual identity backgrounds voluntarily completed several measures of SS, including the SSCI. Results showed that the SSCI is a reliable measure for assessing SS. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the latent multidimensional structure of the SSCI, supporting its factorial validity. In addition, the SSCI showed appropriate convergent validity with other measures commonly used to assess SS. In sum, the SSCI was revealed to be a useful multidimensional index of SS for research and practice contexts which allows the practitioner or the researcher to make decisions on which dimension(s) are to be evaluated. This study focused on women's SS, and future research with other gender, sexual and cultural identities is necessary to support its utility in multi-identity and multi-sexuality scenarios.

Is Regulatory Focus Related to Condom Use, STI/HIV Testing, and Sexual Satisfaction?

Regulatory focus theory contends that when making decisions people are either more inclined to focus on avoiding negative consequences (more prevention-focused) or achieving pleasurable outcomes (more promotion-focused). Some research suggests that regulatory focus is related to health behaviors, although this has not been thoroughly investigated in the sexual health domain. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between regulatory focus (prevention, promotion) and sexual health. In an online survey of 409 youth from the U.S. (ages = 18-25; M_age = 23.5; 57.2% women; 74.1% White, 13.4% Asian, 10.5% Black, 9.8% Hispanic), we examined the relationship between regulatory focus and three sexual health outcomes: condom use, STI/HIV testing, and sexual satisfaction. Of youth in our sample, 31.8% had a dominant prevention-focus, while 54.8% had a dominant promotion-focus. Compared to youth who were more promotion-focused, more prevention-focused youth used condoms more frequently but reported less sexual satisfaction. No differences were found in rates of STI/HIV testing. This study lays the groundwork to investigate the dynamic role that regulatory focus may play in contributing to youths' sexual health. More experimental and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the causal nature of the association between regulatory focus and sexual health.

The More You Know: Sexual Knowledge as a Predictor of Sexual Well-Being

The World Health Organization (WHO), defines sexual well-being as a multifaceted construct, consisting of more than absence of disease or experiences of pleasure. Further, the WHO suggests that sexual knowledge should contribute to sexual well-being. We examined the relationship between personal sexual knowledge-knowing one's individual sexual preferences-and sexual health knowledge-awareness of reproduction, contraception, and diseases-and sexual well-being, comprised of sexual satisfaction, assertiveness, and competence in a sample of 484 emerging adults. Personal sexual knowledge but not sexual health knowledge, was a significant predictor of sexual well-being. Further, this relationship was moderated by gender (stronger for women) but not prior sex education.

Unsolicited Pics and Sexual Scripts: Gender and Relationship Context of Compliant and Non-consensual Technology-Mediated Sexual Interactions

Technology-mediated sexual interaction (TMSI) refers to any partnered interaction that involves sending or receiving self-created, sexually explicit content using communication technology (e. g., sexting, cybersex). Most research on TMSI assumes that experiences are desired and consensual. However, it is likely that some people do not desire all their TMSI experiences but consent to them anyways (compliance), or experience non-consensual TMSIs. People also engage in TMSIs with different types of partners. According to the traditional sexual script (TSS), other-gender attracted women and men's non-consensual TMSI experiences should differ overall and depending on the relationship context of the experience. The goal of this study was to examine the role of sexual scripts in other-gender attracted women and men's non-consensual and compliant TMSI experiences with committed romantic partners (CRPs), known non-partners (KNPs), and strangers (Ss). Women (n = 331) and men (n = 120) completed an online survey with questions about lifetime prevalence of experiencing seven types of compliant and non-consensual TMSIs in each relationship context. Results of mixed ANOVAs revealed significant interactions: overall, more participants reported compliant TMSI with CRPs. More women than men had received a non-consensual TMSI from someone they were not in a committed relationship with, and more men than women reported sending non-consensual TMSIs to a stranger. Tests of unpaired proportions suggested that the prevalence of sending and receiving non-consensual TMSIs was discordant in the KNP and S contexts: both women and men received more non-consensual TMSIs from KNPs and Ss than the other-gender reported sending. Our findings suggest that gendered sexual scripts are evident in some, but not all, aspect of other-gender attracted women and men's compliant and non-consensual TMSI experiences.

Sexual Satisfaction: Exploring the Role of Flow

Sexual satisfaction plays an important role in relationship, mental, and even physical health. Activities that produce a state of flow create meaning in people's lives. Although people who report high levels of sexual satisfaction describe their sex lives as being very meaningful, there is little research on the relationship between sexual satisfaction and flow. This study sought to address this gap. One hundred participants who were in monogamous relationships completed an online survey consisting of two questionnaires-the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale and the Core Dispositional Flow State Scale. We used partial least square structural equation modeling approach to examine the association between flow and sexual satisfaction. We found that flow was a statistically significant positive predictor of both partner-focused and personal sexual satisfaction. Our results indicate that there are no statistically significant gender differences.

Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on sexuality: a cross-sectional study among couples in Turkey

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been continuing to affect the lives of all people globally. It has been shown that restrictions due to changes in lifestyles lead to mental health problems. This study aims to investigate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on couples' sexuality. A total of 245 volunteers (148 men and 97 women) were enrolled in the study. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale were administered to screen anxiety and depression symptoms. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) along with self-constructed sexual behavior questionnaire were administered to participants, in order to evaluate sexual functions and behavioral changes during the pandemic. Sexual function scores (IIEF erectile function domain and total FSFI) during pandemic (24.55 ± 5.79 and 24.87 ± 7.88, respectively) were lower compared to the prepandemic period (26.59 ± 4.51 and 26.02 ± 6.22, respectively) (p = 0.001 and p = 0.027, respectively). During pandemic compared to prepandemic period, the frequency of sexual intercourse decreased in men (p = 0.001) and women (p = 0.001) while sexual avoidance and solitary sexual approach behaviors (masturbation or watching sexual content videos, etc.) increased in men (p = 0.001) and women (p = 0.022). However, the couples that spent more time together during the pandemic reported better sexual function scores (men; p = 0.001, women; p = 0.006). Although this is the first study evaluating couples from Turkey with a convenience sample, further studies with a greater number may better elucidate the effects of this pandemic on sexuality.

Communication modes during romantic dissolution: The impact of attachment and intimacy on initiator breakup strategies

A majority of romantic pair-bonds will not remain together. Surprisingly, however, less is known about relationship dissolution compared with other stages of romantic relationships, such as initiation and maintenance. The present study addresses this gap by investigating breakup initiators’ communication strategies as outcomes for the individual’s attachment style and the emotional intimacy of a recent terminated romantic relationship. Participants (N = 174) completed a series of empirically reliable and valid Likert-scale measures to assess both predictors: (a) adult attachment and (b) emotional intimacy. Emotional intimacy was a significant predictor of each of the four breakup communication strategies, and adult attachment style – particularly attachment anxiety - was significantly related to specific communication strategies, primarily those related to openness. This researcher concluded that emotional intimacy better predictors of breakup communication strategy compared with attachment style. Limitations and a general discussion or summary of findings are provided, followed by some suggestions for future research.

Women's Orgasm and Sexual Satisfaction in Committed Sex and Casual Sex: Relationship Between Sociosexuality and Sexual Outcomes in Different Sexual Contexts

Previous studies have found that women report more orgasm and sexual satisfaction from sex in committed relationships than from casual sex. We examined whether sociosexual orientation was associated with these differences, and explored the links between sociosexuality and sexual outcomes in these two sexual relationship contexts. Sexually active women (n = 1,084) completed an online survey measuring sociosexual orientation, orgasmic function, and sexual satisfaction. Participants reported sexual outcomes (orgasmic function and sexual satisfaction) with respect to their sexual activity over the past 12 months in a casual context (if applicable), and separately in a committed context (if applicable). Among women who had both casual and committed sex in the past year, orgasmic function and sexual satisfaction differed between these two relationship contexts only for more sexually restricted women (lower sociosexuality). In the full sample, higher sociosexuality was associated with higher orgasmic function in casual sex and with lower sexual satisfaction in committed sex. These findings underscore the importance of examining interactions between individual differences and contextual factors when studying women's sexual outcomes.

“It Feels So Good”: Pleasure in Last Sexual Encounter Narratives of Black University Students

A sex-positive lens is needed to investigate Black sexuality, which is often depicted through deficit and risk models. Extant sex research leaves an opportunity to understand Black experiences of sexual pleasure untapped. Using narrative inquiry coupled with constructivist grounded theory methods, we examined 18 Black university students’ last sexual encounter narratives. An explication of their disclosure about and meaning making around pleasure is presented. Themes included the following: monitoring mutual pleasure, relegating pleasure to men’s performance, and positioning pleasured possibilities as hope or expectation. Research implications for Black psychology are addressed.

Considering Attachment and Partner Perceptions in the Prediction of Physical and Emotional Sexual Satisfaction

INTRODUCTION

Attachment theory provides a framework for understanding sexual satisfaction; in general, research suggests that attachment anxiety and avoidance are associated with decreased sexual satisfaction. Given their different working models of self and other, perceptions of the partner's level of satisfaction might differentially influence people's own perceptions of satisfaction based on their attachment avoidance and anxiety.

AIM

To examine the predictive value of attachment anxiety and avoidance and perceptions of partner satisfaction in predicting physical and emotional satisfaction after sexual interactions in two studies.

METHODS

Participants (study 1, n = 52; study 2, n = 144) completed a one-time survey containing a measurement of attachment and then reported on their physical and emotional sexual satisfaction after each sexual interaction over the course of 2 to 3 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised was completed during the one-time survey, and ratings of personal physical and emotional sexual satisfaction (studies 1 and 2) and perceptions of partner's physical and emotional satisfaction were completed after sexual interactions (study 2).

RESULTS

Greater attachment avoidance was associated with lesser physical and emotional satisfaction. Moreover, when perceiving the partner to be emotionally satisfied, people with more attachment avoidance reported less emotional satisfaction for themselves. For greater attachment anxiety, greater perceived partner satisfaction (physical and emotional) predicted greater personal satisfaction of the two types.

CONCLUSION

The findings support attachment theory as a valuable lens through which to study sexual satisfaction. Moreover, the results suggest that it is important to consider perceptions of partner sexual satisfaction in understanding the sexual satisfaction of people who demonstrate attachment anxiety and avoidance.