What Factors are Associated with Sexual Satisfaction, Distress, and Function in Couples? A Systematic Scoping Review...

The increasingly common dyadic diary method uniquely captures how fluctuations in the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of each member of a couple contribute to sexual outcomes within relationships. Dyadic diary methods assess these processes close in time to when they occur in a natural setting, and permit examination of within-person fluctuations in variables of interest while accounting for relational interdependence. The aim of this systematic scoping review was to assess the contribution of dyadic diary studies to understanding specific sexual outcomes in committed relationships. We examined factors associated with three key outcomes - daily sexual satisfaction, sexual distress, and sexual function. Fifty-seven records reporting on 3,793 couples were included. All factors were reported on by each member of the couple, separately. We identified personal (individual's experiences or behaviors such as mood), relationship-focused (shared experiences of both partners such as conflict), and partner-focused (partner's experiences or behaviors such as responsiveness) factors. When individuals reported a change in their personal, relationship-, or partner-focused experience relative to their average across days, there were implications for their own and, in some cases, their partners' sexual outcomes that day. We found that dyadic diary studies are especially useful when the associated factors under investigation focused on specific relationship events (e.g. sexual activity, conflict) that are sensitive to contextual factors (e.g. mood) and may be experienced differently for each partner. However, diary methods are resource-intensive and may not be required when researchers are primarily interested in perceived partner behaviors. Our results suggest it may be valuable for theorists, researchers, and clinicians to consider the dynamic nature of day-to-day fluctuations in couples' lives to better understand and promote sexual satisfaction and sexual function, and reduce sexual distress, in the context of partnered relationships.