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Natalie O. Rosen, Serena Corsini-Munt, Justin P. Dubé, Carmen Boudreau, Amy Muise, Partner Responses to Low Desire: Associations with Sexual, Relational, and Psychological Well-Being Among Couples Coping with Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 17, Issue 11, November 2020, Pages 2168–2180, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.08.015
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Abstract
The experience of distressing low sexual interest/arousal—female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD)—is prevalent in women of all ages and is associated with poorer sexual, relationship, and psychological well-being than women without this difficulty. Women who are partnered are almost 5 times more likely to be distressed by low desire and to receive a diagnosis of FSIAD than unpartnered women, indicating that interpersonal factors are highly relevant, although largely neglected in past research.
In a dyadic cross-sectional and longitudinal study, we examined whether partner responses to FSIAD were associated with the sexual, relationship, and psychological well-being of couples, and whether any effects persisted 1 year later.
Women diagnosed with FSIAD (N = 89) completed a validated measure of perceived partner positive vs negative responses to their low sexual interest/arousal and their partners reported on their own responses, as well as measures of sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, sexual distress, and anxiety. 1 year later, couples (N = 66) completed the outcome measures again. Data were analyzed according to the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.
Outcomes included were the Sexual Desire Inventory–Solitary and Partner-Focused Subscales; Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction; Female Sexual Distress Scale; Couple Satisfaction Index; and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–Short-Form.
When women with FSIAD perceived more positive partner responses (eg, warm, supportive, compassionate) than negative responses (eg, hostile, unsupportive, indifferent), they were more satisfied with the relationship and they and their partners reported lower anxiety. When partners reported more positive than negative responses, they had greater relationship and sexual satisfaction and lower sexual distress and anxiety. Exploratory analyses revealed that women's perceptions of their partners' responses accounted for the link between partners' own responses and women's relationship satisfaction and anxiety. Partner responses did not predict any change in outcomes over time.
Findings support interpersonal conceptualizations of FSIAD and may inform the development of future couple-based interventions.
This study is one of the few dyadic investigations of FSIAD, as diagnosed via a clinical interview. Significant associations were only observed cross-sectionally, limiting causal conclusions. There was limited power to detect longitudinal effects.
More positive responses to women's low sexual interest/arousal by partners is linked to better adjustment among couples affected by FSIAD.
