(PS10-C71) Inhibited Sexual Communication: A Mediator of Insecure Adult Attachment and Sexual Dissatisfaction

Sexuality concerns are one of the most common presenting issues among couples interested in therapy (McCarthy et al., 2006). With studies demonstrating a strong positive association between sexual and relationship satisfaction (e.g., Butzer & Campbell, 2008), research targeting couples’ sexual concerns may enhance relationship outcomes. Individuals with insecure attachment styles often engage in less effective sexual communication (Davis et al., 2006) and thus experience worse sexual satisfaction (Birnbaum et al., 2006). However, few studies have explored the mediating role of sexual communication between attachment insecurity and sexual satisfaction, and existing studies have yielded mixed findings (i.e., Davis et al., 2006; Khoury & Findlay, 2014). Thus, further study is warranted. We hypothesized that inhibited sexual communication would fully mediate the relationship between both forms of insecure attachment and both subscales of sexual satisfaction among emerging adults.

Participants (N = 352) were undergraduate students from a large southeastern university who were sexually active (e.g., engaging in acts involving contact with the vulva, clitoris, vagina, anus, penis, or testicles between one or more consenting people for the purpose of sexual pleasure) and were either involved in a sexual relationship (e.g., hooking up) or in an exclusive romantic relationship (e.g., dating, engaged). Participants (84.9% female, 13.6% male, 1.4% gender diverse) completed an online survey measuring attachment style (i.e., anxious and avoidant attachment), sexual communication, and sexual satisfaction (i.e., self-sexual satisfaction and collaborative-sexual satisfaction). We tested hypotheses using structural equation modeling, controlling for the effects of class year, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religiosity.

Anxious attachment (β = 0.35, p < .001) and avoidant attachment (β = 0.42, p < .001) were linked to worse sexual communication. Worse sexual communication was associated with worse sexual satisfaction on both subscales (EC: β = -.59, p < .001; PSAC: β = -.71, p < .001). Anxious attachment was not associated with either sexual satisfaction subscale while avoidant attachment was linked with decreased self-sexual satisfaction (β = -.15, p < .05). Sexual communication fully mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and both sexual satisfaction subscales (EC: β_indirect = -.21, p < .001; PSAC: β_indirect = -.25, p < .001) as well as the relationship between avoidant attachment and collaborative-sexual satisfaction (β_indirect = -.30, p</em> < .001). Sexual communication partially mediated the relationship between avoidant attachment and self-sexual satisfaction (β_indirect = -.25, p</em> < .001).

Study findings indicate that sexual communication may be an important intervention target for increasing sexual satisfaction for emerging adults with attachment anxiety. Conversely, while improving sexual communication may increase sexual satisfaction derived from their partner’s sexual experiences for emerging adults with avoidant attachment, results suggest this may be insufficient for increasing the sexual satisfaction they derive from their own personal sexual experiences and sensations.