Attachment Insecurities and Sexual Coercion in Same- and Cross-Gender Couples: The Mediational Role of Couple Communication Patterns

Abstract

The use of subtle strategies to have sex with an unwilling partner is harmful to a couple’s sexual well-being but these strategies remain understudied. This research examined the mediating role of communication patterns in the associations between attachment insecurities and sustained sexual coercion in 145 same- and cross-gender couples, and the moderating role of partners’ gender. In addition to actor and partner effects, results revealed significant indirect effects from attachment insecurities to sexual coercion via communication patterns, with moderating effects of gender. Results may help practitioners and researchers understand the ways attachment insecurities and dysfunctional communication patterns can manifest in the experience of subtle forms of sexual coercion within couples.

Keywords:

• Attachment insecurities
• sexual coercion
• couple communication
• intimate partner violence
• gender differences

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et Culture.