Sexual Communication Links Insecure Adult Attachment With Sexual Satisfaction Among U.S. College Students

Research suggests that addressing sexual difficulties and concerns may enhance sexual satisfaction and, in turn, improve sexual and relationship outcomes among partnered individuals. This study examined whether perceived quality of sexual communication indirectly links insecure attachment (i.e., anxious and avoidant attachment) to sexual satisfaction among college students. Further, this study assesses sexual satisfaction by measuring both participants' own sexual satisfaction (i.e., self-sexual satisfaction) as well as their satisfaction derived from their partner's sexual experiences (i.e., partner-derived sexual satisfaction). This assessment of sexual satisfaction is relatively new within the literature. Participants (N = 352; 84.9% identified as female, 13.6% male, 1.4% gender diverse) were undergraduates from a southeastern university who identified as sexually active and were involved in a sexual relationship and/or romantic relationship. Participants were recruited via convenience sampling and were on average, 18.78 years old. Most participants identified as heterosexual (88.40%) and the remaining identified as bisexual (8.20%), queer (2.30%), gay (1.70%), lesbian (0.60%), and pansexual (0.60%). We collected cross-sectional survey data across three semester waves (Spring 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023) and tested hypotheses using path analysis. Results revealed that both anxious and avoidant attachment were indirectly related to self-sexual satisfaction and partner-derived sexual satisfaction through perceptions of worse sexual communication. Clinicians could consider assessing and targeting attachment-related concerns and sexual communication skills when working with couples and individuals experiencing sexual dissatisfaction. Moreover, future research might explore and develop therapeutic interventions that improve sexual communication strategies, particularly among those high in attachment insecurity.