The relative impact of individual sexual desire and couple desire discrepancy on satisfaction in heterosexual couples

Abstract

Sexual desire has been shown to be positively related to sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire discrepancy has received relatively little empirical attention in the context of dyads, though research shows that larger discrepancies in desire may be associated with lower satisfaction outcomes. The relative importance of sexual desire and sexual desire discrepancy in predicting sexual and relationship satisfaction was examined in a sample of 133 heterosexual couples. Men and women were equally likely to be the member of the couple with lower sexual desire relative to their partner. Hierarchical multiple regression results indicated that individual sexual desire for one's partner significantly predicted sexual satisfaction for women and men, whereas sexual desire discrepancy significantly predicted sexual satisfaction for men only. However, in predicting relationship satisfaction, individual sexual desire for partner is significantly related to women's relationship satisfaction, whereas sexual desire discrepancy is significantly related to men's relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that attention should be paid to how each partner interacts within the dyad and special attention should be paid to how women's sexual desire impacts relationship dynamics. Therapeutic implications and future research avenues are also discussed.

The impact of daily sexual desire and daily sexual desire discrepancy on the quality of the sexual experience in couples

“…This has been shown in the literature to be related to negative sexual and relationship outcomes (Bridges & Horne, 2007;Davies, Katz, & Jackson, 1999;Mark, 2012;Mark & Murray, 2012). These negative outcomes may be more pronounced in relationships with longer duration than those with shorter duration (Willoughby & Vitas, 2012).…”

“…Research has successfully integrated the links between individual sexual desire, desire discrepancy, and sexual satisfaction (Mark, 2012;Willoughby, Farero, & Busby, in press;Willoughby & Vitas, 2012). For example, Mark (2012) found that individual sexual desire for one's partner significantly predicted sexual satisfaction for women and men, whereas sexual desire discrepancy significantly predicted sexual satisfaction for men only in a sample of college-age heterosexual couples.…”

“…Desire discrepancy can arise for a variety of reasons including relationship factors, hormonal levels, medical issues, stress, and conflicting schedules (Ellison, 2001). Desire discrepancy is the most common sexual complaint from women (Ellison, 2001) with consistent evidence to suggest it negatively impacts sexual and relationship satisfaction (Bridges & Horne, 2007;Davies et al, 1999, Mark, 2012Mark & Murray, 2012).…”

Sexual Closeness Discrepancies: What They Are and Why They Matter for Sexual Well-Being in Romantic Relationships

“…There is an emergent body of relevant literature concerning partners' discrepancies concerning sexual frequency (Smith et al, 2011) and desire (Mark, 2012;Muise, Impett, Kogan & Desmarais, 2013;Willoughby & Vitas, 2012). While relevant, we want to emphasize a different aspect of discrepancy in sexual well-being; specifically, how individuals imagine and manage the discrepancy between what they idealize in their sexual relationships and what they experience.…”

“…A body of relevant research on discrepancies in romantic relationships has included studies concerning sexual desire discrepancies (Bridges & Horne, 2007;Mark, 2012;Willoughby & Vitas, 2012). While there have been several studies that assess couple-level discrepancies between desired and actual sexual activity (Bridges & Horne, 2007;Davies, Katz & Jackson, 1999), there are fewer studies that examine desire discrepancies within individuals, focusing on how individual level discrepancies affect relational outcomes (Willoughby & Vitas, 2012).…”