Good gets better? Examining the impact of prescribed sexual activity on long-term heterosexually configured couples’ sexual and relationship satisfaction

ABSTRACT

Although correlates and predictors of sexual and relationship satisfaction are frequently investigated, few studies have systematically examined approaches that are designed to enhance such endpoints among couples. This study evaluated the impact of a six- to eight-week intervention consisting of prescribed sexual activity with and without a sex toy among a community sample of 49 couples in heterosexual relationships. While quantitative analyses did not reveal statistically significant differences among standardized outcome measures, post hoc ceiling effects were noted, and open-ended responses analyzed using thematic analysis indicated the majority of men (75.5%) and women (79.5%) perceived that their sexual relationship satisfaction had improved as a result of participating in the intervention. Seven themes were developed to describe the ways that satisfaction increased over the course of the study: (1) introducing something fun and novel; (2) giving and receiving pleasure; (3) relating and communicating; (4) making time and space in one's relationship for sex and pleasure; (5) increasing emotional closeness; (6) increasing women's comfort with sex; and (7) validating strengths and barriers within the relationship. The findings of this study suggest specific relationship-enhancing effects of prescribed sexual activity for couples.

KEYWORDS:

• Couples
• long-term relationships
• sexual satisfaction
• relationship satisfaction
• prescribed sexual activity

Acknowledgments

We want to thank all the couples who participated in our study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Standard Innovation Corporation.

Notes on contributors

Carm De Santis

Carm De Santis is a PhD degree candidate in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph and adjunct professor in the Department of Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies at St. Jerome's University in the University of Waterloo, Canada. She works as a sex, couple, and family therapist in private practice in Guelph, Ontario. Her research interests include embodiment of pleasure, sexual diversity, and social justice.

Sarah H. Murray

Sarah Hunter Murray attained her PhD degree from the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on exploring how men and women experience sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction, primarily in the context of longer term relationships. Sarah currently works as a Couple and Family Therapist. She is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

Taylor Kohut

Taylor Kohut is a post-doctoral fellow and adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at Western University. His doctoral dissertation involved an empirical investigation of lay conceptualizations of “pornography” and recent research projects have included survey- and experiment-based studies concerning the impact of pornography on non-egalitarian values, sexual coercion, the practice of novel sexual behaviors, and sexual health behaviors. Other research interests include psychosocial approaches to health promotion behaviors, particularly in the areas of sexual risk reduction and prevention behaviors.

Robin R. Milhausen

Robin R. Milhausen is an associate professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Dr Milhausen studies sexual desire and arousal, gender differences and similarities in sexuality-related constructs, sexual and relationship satisfaction, and sexual health. She has more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and has presented her research internationally.