Attachment Orientations, Sexual Behavior, and Relationship Satisfaction in Young, Mixed-Sex Couples: A Dyadic Approach

Abstract

We examined if and to what degree attachment orientations of both partners moderate the link between different behavioral characteristics of the sexual relationship and relationship satisfaction in the early stages of romantic attachment. A sample of 126 young, mixed-sex couples (N = 252, mean age = 23.3, SD = 2.4; average relationship duration = 1.9 years, SD = 0.9) filled out questionnaires assessing attachment anxiety and avoidance, a range of intimate and sexual couple behaviors, and relationship satisfaction. Exploratory factor analyses revealed two behavioral factors: Intimate behavior (kissing, cuddling) and sexual behavior (oral sex, coitus). Although frequency of sexual behavior was not directly associated with relationship satisfaction, we found a significant positive interaction with anxious attachment, indicating that higher frequencies of sexual behavior were associated with greater self-reported relationship satisfaction in more anxiously attached individuals. Exploration of the effects of intimate behaviors on relationship satisfaction revealed significant positive associations as well, but, unexpectedly, only for avoidantly attached individuals. These results call for a dyadic and differentiated approach to the study of sexuality in couples and are in line with prior findings that the impact of intimate and sexual behaviors on relationship satisfaction varies depending on attachment orientations.

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to thank Daisy Mechelmans for her help with data collection and Kristof Vansteelandt for his help with the analyses.

Author contributions

Conceptualization, R.R., E.J.; Methodology, R.R., E.J.; Formal Analysis, R.R.; Investigation, R.R.; Writing – Original Draft, R.R.; Writing – Review & Editing, R.R., E.J.; Funding Acquisition, E.J.; Supervision, E.J.

Notes

1 The choice for a 3-year mark is consistent with findings suggesting the ‘honeymoon effect’ for newlywed couples wears off after about 30 months (Lorber, Erlanger, Heyman, & O’Leary, 2015).

2 We also entered the 3-way interactions between the interactions of attachment, on the individual level and between partners, and sexual behavior, but as no significant 3-way interactions emerged we decided to not include them in the results).

3 Our approach to test for distinguishability, prior to making any statements on gender effects, is based on APIM guidelines (Kenny et al., 2006). This approach allows researchers to assess whether there are statistically significant differences as a function of the distinguishable variable (in this study: gender/sex), which helps simplifying already complex models.

4 We also entered the 3-way interactions between the interactions of attachment on the individual level and between partners, and intimate behavior, but again, no significant 3-way interactions emerged.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by grants from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO; G0C8216N) and KU Leuven/University of Leuven (C14/16/076) to Erick Janssen (PI).