A kiss is not just a kiss: kissing frequency, sexual quality, attachment, and sexual and relationship satisfaction

Abstract

Kissing can be thought of as a relationship maintenance behavior and/or as part of the sexual repertoire. Using data from 1,605 participants in committed relationships for at least two years, we analyzed how kissing frequency was associated with specific aspects of the two most recent sexual experiences, attachment, and global sexual and relationship satisfaction using a structural equation model. Kissing frequency had a significant, positive association with all specific aspects of recent sexual experiences (levels or arousal, experience of orgasm, and event-specific sexual satisfaction) and global sexual and relationship satisfaction. Kissing frequency had a significant, negative association with anxious and avoidant attachment. The associations with attachment and specific aspects of recent sexual experiences only partially mediated the relationship between kissing frequency and global relationship and sexual satisfaction. The results indicated that kissing frequency was a strong indicator of both specific sexual quality and global relationship connectivity and may be a promising variable to utilize as a barometer of both the more immediate quality of sexual relationships as well as overall relationship quality.

Keywords:

• Kissing
• attachment
• sexual satisfaction
• relationship satisfaction

Disclosure statement

All authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest with the research conducted.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dean M. Busby

Dean M. Busby is a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University whose research focuses on sexuality, couple conflict, assessment, and relationship trauma.

Veronica Hanna-Walker

Veronica Hanna-Walker is a master’s student in the Marriage, Family, and Human Development Program in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University whose research focuses on sexuality, attachment, and relational power.

Chelom E. Leavitt

Chelom E. Leavitt is an assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University whose research focuses on sexuality, sexual mindfulness, and couple interventions.