Mindfulness and Sexual Mindfulness as Moderators Between Conflict Resolution and Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction

Abstract

Mindfulness has shown positive links with conflict resolution. Additionally, couples skilled in conflict resolution report greater sexual and relationship satisfaction. However, no research has examined the moderating effect of mindfulness, specifically sexual mindfulness, between conflict resolution and sexual and relationship satisfaction. We used 1,627 couples from wave III of the Couple Relationships and Transition Experiences (CREATE) study. Sexual mindfulness moderated the association between conflict resolution and sexual satisfaction, even after controlling for attachment. Wives higher in sexual mindful awareness may rely less on conflict resolution for their sexual satisfaction. Karremans and colleagues’ (2017) model of mindfulness and romantic relationships provides a framework for testing whether, when, and how mindfulness increases positive romantic relationship processes and outcomes. Under this framework, mindfulness may provide a mechanism to help couples achieve sexual and relationship satisfaction. Mindfulness and sexual mindfulness may provide a useful mechanism for therapists, educators, social workers, and couples to enhance satisfaction within the romantic and sexual relationship even without partner buy-in.

Author credit statement

Daniel Smedley: conceptualization, writing original draft. Chelom Leavitt: conceptualization, writing original draft, visualization. David Allsop: methodology, formal analyses. McKenna Nance: methodology and editing. Spencer James: data collection, review, and editing. Erin Holmes: data collection, review, and editing.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Notes

1 After exploring moderating associations, we explored the possibility of mediation among our variables, as detailed in the appendix. As expected based on former research, mediation analyses provided evidence that mindfulness and sexual mindfulness exert positive effects on sexual and relationship satisfaction possibly by improving conflict resolution quality.