Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction in Young, Heterosexual Couples: The Role of Sexual Frequency and Sexual Communication.

BACKGROUND Although their individual contributions to sexual and relational outcomes are well-established, there has been a lack of research on the importance of sexual frequency and sexual communication to sexual and relationship satisfaction. AIM To examine the contribution of sexual frequency and sexual communication to sexual and relationship satisfaction in the early stages of couple relationships. METHODS A sample of 126 young, heterosexual couples (mean age = 23.3 years, SD = 2.4; average relationship duration = 1.9 years, SD = 0.9) filled out questionnaires about sexual frequency, sexual communication, and sexual and relationship satisfaction. Analyses were guided by the actor-partner interdependence model. OUTCOMES Main outcome variables were sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction, measured by the Quality of Sex Inventory and the Couple Satisfaction Index, respectively. RESULTS Analyses revealed a significant actor effect of both sexual communication and sexual frequency for sexual satisfaction. Only sexual communication, not sexual frequency, predicted relationship satisfaction. No significant partner or gender effects were found. CLINICAL TRANSLATION These findings lend support to the notion that couples could benefit from focusing on non-behavioral processes (eg, sexual communication), rather than sexual behavior per se, when pursuing a fulfilling partnership. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS Strengths of the study include the dyadic nature of the data and analyses, allowing for the evaluation of both individual- and couple-level processes. Also, to our knowledge, this is the first study to specifically examine the importance of sexual frequency and sexual communication to both sexual and relationship satisfaction. Limitations include the reliance on self-report measures and a relatively homogeneous sample. CONCLUSION Although both sexual frequency and sexual communication were relevant to the prediction of sexual satisfaction, only sexual communication predicted relationship satisfaction in this sample of young, heterosexual couples. Roels R, Janssen E. Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction in Young, Heterosexual Couples: The Role of Sexual Frequency and Sexual Communication. J Sex Med 2020;XX:XXX-XXX.