Actor-partner effects in the associations between relationship characteristics and reactions to marital sexual intimacy

Abstract

This study uses the relational turbulence model and dyadic data analysis to examine how marital relationship characteristics affect emotional and cognitive reactions to sex. We surveyed both spouses from 220 married couples about their sexual relationship. Results indicated that: (i) relational uncertainty and interference from partners were negatively associated with sexual satisfaction and positively associated with negative cognitive and emotional reactions to sex; (ii) an actor’s sexual satisfaction was negatively associated with the partner’s relational uncertainty and interference from actors; and (iii) an actor’s negative emotion and negative cognition following sex were positively associated with the partner’s relational uncertainty and interference from partners. These findings highlight dyadic interdependence between spouses’ perceptions of sexual intimacy.

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