Daily and Prospective Associations Between Responses to Sexual Rejection and Sexual Well-Being and Relationship Satisfaction in Couples Coping with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder

Abstract

Prior cross-sectional research established that four distinct responses to sexual rejection are associated with sexual and relationship well-being among couples affected by Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD). Examining these associations daily and prospectively will provide insight into within-person variations, temporality, and directionality. Women and gender-diverse individuals diagnosed with SIAD and their partners (N = 232 couples) completed a baseline survey, 56-day diary, and 6-month follow-up survey, assessing responses to sexual rejection, sexual satisfaction, dyadic sexual desire, sexual distress, and relationship satisfaction. Post hoc exploratory analyses controlled for non-physical sexual coercion and sexual rejection frequency. On days when individuals with SIAD perceived or their partners reported greater understanding responses than usual, they both reported higher relationship satisfaction, but also greater sexual distress. Daily perceived or reported greater resentful or insecure responses were associated with lower sexual and relationship satisfaction, and greater sexual distress. Enticing responses showed mixed results. For partners, all daily self-reported response types were positively associated with their own dyadic sexual desire. Prospectively for individuals with SIAD perceiving greater understanding and lower resentful and enticing responses at baseline predicted their own greater sexual and relationship satisfaction and perceiving greater insecure responses predicted their partners’ greater sexual satisfaction, six months later. For partners, greater insecure responses at baseline predicted their own lower sexual satisfaction and greater sexual distress six months later. Results suggest that partner responses to sexual rejection may be useful intervention targets aimed at promoting the sexual well-being and relationship satisfaction of couples coping with SIAD.