Unmet Sexual Needs Can Leave People Less Satisfied With Their Relationship — But Having A Responsive Partner Mitigates This Effect

This study suggests that people hold ideals about their sexual relationship — and when these ideals are not met, there are negative consequences. However, again, the data suggested that having a sexually communal partner mitigated this. In a final experimental study, the team found that participants who’d been led to believe that their sexual ideals were not being met reported lower levels of both types of satisfaction only if they rated their partner as low for sexual communal strength, but not if this score was high.  People with sexually communal partners may not feel that their sexual ideals are being entirely met, but their partner’s behaviour may make this feel less of a problem, the researchers suggest. Perhaps their partner is supportive when declining their sexual advances, or more willing to compromise, or offer other forms of affection when they’re not interested in sex. Interventions aimed at addressing sexual compatibilities are scarce, the team notes. Since the new research suggests that if both members of a couple make more of an effort to be responsive, this could reduce or even overcome relationship difficulties caused by mismatched sexual ideals, this does at least suggest an approach to try.  – The detriments of unmet sexual ideals and buffering effect of sexual communal strength. Emma Young (@EmmaELYoung) is a staff writer at BPS Research Digest
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Sex Social Source Type: blogs