Intimacy and Sexual Satisfaction in Unmarried Couple Relationships: A Pilot Study.

The roles of intimacy and sexual satisfaction in couple relationships are not clearly understood, particularly when assessing gender differences in areas of sexuality and communication. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine intimacy and sexual satisfaction in unmarried couple relationships and the role that gender plays. A sample of 159 college students (72 men, 87 women) responded to modified versions of Walker and Thompson's Intimacy Scale and Hudson's Index of Sexual Satisfaction. A MANO VA was conducted to test reports of intimacy and sexual satisfaction, resulting in significant differences between gender with women reporting more intimacy and sexual satisfaction than did men. The implications are explored in the context of social and cultural changes. A cautious interpretation of the results of these preliminaryfindings is appropriate given the small and specific sample size. Future research focusing on gender differences when intimacy and sexual satisfaction are considered important compone...