Summary
Pregnancy loss can be detrimental to couples’ psychological and relational well-being and there is some evidence of negative impacts to sexual satisfaction. However, studies have not tested how pregnancy loss affects all aspects of sexual well-being—sexual satisfaction, distress, function, desire, and frequency—using dyadic data and comparing to a no-loss control group. Accordingly, we compared sexual well-being among couples who experienced a pregnancy loss in the last four months (N = 51) and couples who had never experienced a pregnancy loss (N = 128) using multilevel structural equation modeling. As hypothesized, couples with a recent pregnancy loss reported lower sexual satisfaction compared to couples in the community sample, but not lower sexual function, desire, frequency, or higher distress. Couples may benefit from knowing that pregnancy loss seemingly disrupts couples’ sexual satisfaction, potentially because pregnancy loss creates mental associations between loss, grief, and sex, which may especially impact sexual satisfaction.

Objectives

• To gain a holistic picture of how pregnancy loss affects couples’ sexual relationships
• To take a dyadic approach to investigating sexual relationships following pregnancy loss
• To inform practitioners which aspects of sexual well-being are most at risk because of pregnancy loss

Subject Codes: sexuality, relationships, wellness
Population Codes: couples/coupled, romantic partners, emerging/young adulthood
Method and Approach Codes: multilevel modeling, dyadic analysis, theory [identify specific theory below]

Summary
Heteronormativity dictates that sexual behavior should occur within heterosexual committed relationships, and all other sexual behaviors and exploration should be avoided or deemed immoral. According to Social Determinants of Health theory, social values and messages shape intrapersonal and interpersonal processes that lead to comprehensive sexual health disparities such as sexual satisfaction, as well as mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Thus, this study sought to accomplish two goals: 1) Identify patterns of sexual behavior among emerging adults and 2) Examine how these behavioral patterns are associated with feelings of sexual shame, sexual satisfaction, and self-reported health. We used a latent class analysis to identify 4 classes of sexual exploration behaviors and then used a BCH approach, to evaluate differences in group demographics, sexual shame, sexual satisfaction, and self-reported health across classes. Groups were: Solo masturbation & pornography, relational sexual behaviors, low sexual exploration, and high sexual exploration. Results and implications are discussed.

Objectives

• The identify distinct classes of sexual exploration behaviors.
• To evaluate differences in group demographics, sexual shame, sexual satisfaction, and self-reported health across sexual exploration behavior groups.
• To understand the role heteronormativity has on sexual behavior and comprehensive sexual health.

Subject Codes: sexuality, heteronormativity
Population Codes: emerging/young adulthood
Method and Approach Codes: quantitative methodology

Summary
Grounded in interdependence and stereotype embodiment theories, this study assessed associations between perceptions of aging (POA) and sexual health in older adult dyads (N = 1,138, ages 50-89). Using dyadic data from the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing, we examined the association between men’s and women’s POA and couples’ frequency of partnered sexual activity. We also estimated an actor-partner interdependence model to evaluate the relation between one’s own and one’s partner’s POA and each partner’s sexual satisfaction. Results showed that men’s, but not women’s, more positive POA were positively associated with more frequent couple-level sexual activity. Both men’s and women’s POA were positively associated with their own, but not their partners’, greater satisfaction with their sex lives. These findings provide insight into how positive views on aging relate to older couples’ sexual health with implications for research and practice.

Objectives

• To extend stereotype embodiment theory to the study of older adult dyads’ sexual health
• To estimate the association between older adults’ perceptions of aging and the frequency of their partnered sexual activities
• To estimate the association between older adults’ perceptions of aging and their own and their partner’s sexual satisfaction

Subject Codes: aging, sexuality, interpersonal relationships
Population Codes: older adults, couples/coupled, heterosexual
Method and Approach Codes: actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), dyadic analysis, secondary data analysis