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. 2021 Aug;50(6):2589-2602.
doi: 10.1007/s10508-021-02054-0. Epub 2021 Aug 17.

Linking Sexual Mindfulness to Mixed-Sex Couples' Relational Flourishing, Sexual Harmony, and Orgasm

Chelom E Leavitt  1 , Tawniele F Maurer  2 , Tiffany L Clyde  2 , Rebecca W Clarke  2 , Dean M Busby  2 , Jeremy B Yorgason  2 , Erin K Holmes  2 , Spencer James  2
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Linking Sexual Mindfulness to Mixed-Sex Couples' Relational Flourishing, Sexual Harmony, and Orgasm

Chelom E Leavitt et al. Arch Sex Behav. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Marriage is an important adult relationship, and recent research indicates that sexual mindfulness, awareness and non-judgment, may be an important tool in helping maintain relational and sexual well-being. Using a nationally representative U.S. sample of newly married, mixed-sex couples (women's age M = 29.70 years; men's age M = 31.76 years; N = 1473 couples), we evaluated whether the two factors of sexual mindfulness, awareness and non-judgment, were linked with relational flourishing, sexual harmony, and orgasm consistency. We utilized an actor-partner interdependence model within a structural equation modeling framework to evaluate how husbands' and wives' awareness and non-judgment were associated with relational flourishing, sexual harmony, and orgasm consistency. Results indicated that both wives' and husbands' awareness was positively associated with relational flourishing, sexual harmony, and orgasm consistency. Partner effects were found for all outcomes. However, no partner effects were found between non-judgment and orgasm consistency. Therapists, educators, and couples may consider the use of sexual mindfulness skills when addressing marriage and sexual relationships.

Keywords: Orgasm consistency; Sexual flourishing; Sexual harmony; Sexual mindfulness.

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