(Dis)Similarities in Attitudes Between Partners About Women's Solo Masturbation: A Dyadic Approach to Solo Masturbation and Its Associations with Sexual Satisfaction

Abstract

Attitudes among couples about women's solo masturbation are not well understood. The primary aim of this study was to assess (dis)similarities in attitudes between partners about women's solo masturbation and associations of each partner's attitudes with women's and their partners' sexual satisfaction. One hundred and four mixed-sex couples (M = 27.43 years), recruited through social networking websites and Prolific (an online research participant platform), completed an online survey about demographics, their experiences of solo masturbation, and validated measures of attitudes about women's masturbation and sexual satisfaction. Dyadic data were analyzed using correlational methods and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Women and their partners reported similar and positive attitudes about women's solo masturbation. For women, reports of positive attitudes toward women's solo masturbation were associated with both their own and their partner's sexual satisfaction; there were no associations for men. The role of solo masturbation within romantic relationships is complex but our results support the idea that women's masturbation is now less stigmatized than commonly thought. Normalizing and including masturbation in the sexual script for individuals in relationships may help maximize their, and their partners,' sexual satisfaction.