The Effects of Similarity in Sexual Excitation and Inhibition, and in the Effects of Mood on Sexuality, on Sexual Problems and Sexual Satisfaction in Newlywed Couples Amy D. Lykins 1, Erick Janssen 2, Sarah Hahn 2, Julia Heiman 2, and Eshkol Rafaeli 3 1 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2 The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A. 3 Barnard College, New York, New York, U.S.A. Contact Information: Abstract Although sexuality is an important component of most relationships, individual differences and dyadic variables related to sexual compatibility, and their association with sexual problems and satisfaction, have not yet received much research attention. The current study examined the effects of the propensity for sexual inhibition and sexual excitation (SIS/SES), as well as the effects of different mood states on sexuality (MSQ), on reports of sexual arousal problems and sexual satisfaction at both the level of the individual and the dyad, in a sample of 35 newlywed couples. Overall, the findings show that, above and beyond one’s own sexual propensities, similarity in the various aspects of sexuality predicts sexual problems (more so in women) and sexual satisfaction (in both men and women). Participants  35 recently-married couples (married within the past year), nulliparous  Mean age of wives: 25.4 years (SD = 3.4)  Mean age of husbands: 25.8 years (SD = 3.0) Measures  Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES)  Measures the propensity for sexual inhibition due to threat of performance failure (SIS1), sexual inhibition due to threat of performance consequences (SIS2), and sexual excitation (SES)  Mood and Sexuality Questionnaire (MSQ-Revised)  Respondents indicate what happens to various aspects of their sexuality (e.g., desire, arousal) when sad/depressed, anxious/stressed, or happy/cheerful  Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS)  Measures relationship quality and satisfaction  Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction (GMSS) INTRODUCTION METHODS Correlations between SIS/SES, MSQ, and Sexual Problems and Satisfaction Note. a p <.05, b p <.10. Findings  For wives, partner dissimilarity in propensity for sexual inhibition was associated with arousal problems  Findings suggest that self-reported arousal problems are less about sexual compatibility for men and more about their own functioning, whereas for women, the opposite pattern emerged (i.e., similarity more important than self)  Higher propensity for sexual excitation associated with lower sexual satisfaction for both husbands and wives  Similarity between spouses on how positive mood influences sexuality was associated with satisfaction in both husbands and wives Conclusions  Findings suggest that beyond one’s own sexual propensities, similarity on these characteristics is relevant to sexual problems (more so in women) and sexual satisfaction (in both men and women) Sexual Satisfaction and Sexual Problems in Current Sample  DAS scores in normal range: husbands (M = 115.4), wives (M = 115.2)  Index of Sexual Satisfaction scores (higher scores indicate less satisfaction): husbands (M = 17.9, range 1 – 44), wives (M = 17.4, range 1-54)  Sexual arousal problems  Husbands: 73% reported no erection problems in previous 3 months (6% regular problems, 21% occasional problems)  Wives: 16% reported no problems in previous 3 months (6% regular problems, 78% occasional problems) Predicting Arousal Problems with the SIS/SES and MSQ  Wives: Regression analysis (p <.02) explained 31% of variance  MSQ-Anxious/Stressed (couple) predicted sexual arousal problems (p <.02)  Husbands: Regression analysis (p <.02) explained 28% of variance  SIS1 (self) predicted erectile problems (p <.02) Predicting Sexual Satisfaction with the SIS/SES and MSQ  Wives: Regression (p <.001) explained 46% of variance  SES (self) predicted satisfaction (p <.02)  MSQ-Happy/Cheerful (self) predicted satisfaction (p <.002)  Husbands: Regression (p <.003) explained 55% of variance  SES (self) predicted satisfaction (p <.03)  MSQ-Anxiety/Stressed (self) predicted satisfaction (p <.04)  MSQ-Happy/Cheerful (couple) predicted satisfaction (p <.04) RESULTS DISCUSSION Sexual Arousal ProblemsSexual Satisfaction WomenMenWomenMen SIS/SES Scores SES a SIS1.46 a.59 a -.38 a.22 SIS b SIS/SES Similarity SES SIS a a.15 SIS a MSQ Scores Anxious/Stressed a Sad/Depressed a Happy/Cheerful a -.20 MSQ Similarity Anxious/Stressed.32 b Sad/Depressed Happy/Cheerful b.42 a