Shen Shannon, Liu Hui
Department of Sociology, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Clin Gerontol. 2021 May-Jun;44(3):259-272. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2020.1869131. Epub 2021 Jan 21.
: This study examines the relationship between sexual obligation and perceived stress among older adults in the United States.: Using longitudinal data from three waves of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), our sample included 1,477 partnered, sexually-active respondents aged 57 to 85 at the baseline survey. We estimated mixed-effects models to test how feelings of sexual obligation are related to changes in perceived stress score.: Sexual obligation was positively associated with perceived stress score. The positive relationship between sexual obligation and perceived stress score became stronger over the study period among older men, although it remained relatively stable among older women. Relationship quality only partially explains this relationship.: Feeling more obligated to have sex had a significantly greater effect on older men's perceived level of stress over time than older women's. This association became marginally significant after relationship quality was controlled for, suggesting that relationship quality was a key explanatory factor for the gendered patterns in sexual obligation's linkage to stress. These results highlight the importance of understanding gendered sexuality among aging older adults within the context of their relationship.: Older adults' feelings of sexual obligation can manifest in their daily stress experience. Clinicians seeking to lower older adults', in particular older men's, stress levels should address the context of their sexual life and if they feel obligated to have sex, along with the positive and negative aspects of their relationship, as these could elevate their stress levels over time.
本研究考察了美国老年人的性义务与感知压力之间的关系。利用来自全国社会生活、健康与老龄化项目（NSHAP）三轮调查的纵向数据，我们的样本包括1477名在基线调查时年龄在57至85岁之间、处于伴侣关系且有性活动的受访者。我们估计了混合效应模型，以检验性义务感如何与感知压力得分的变化相关。性义务与感知压力得分呈正相关。在研究期间，老年男性中性义务与感知压力得分之间的正相关关系变得更强，尽管在老年女性中该关系保持相对稳定。关系质量只能部分解释这种关系。随着时间推移，相较于老年女性，感觉有更多性行为义务对老年男性感知压力水平的影响显著更大。在控制关系质量后，这种关联变得略微显著，这表明关系质量是性义务与压力之间性别模式的关键解释因素。这些结果凸显了在老年人关系背景下理解其性别化性行为的重要性。老年人的性义务感会在他们日常的压力体验中体现出来。临床医生若想降低老年人，尤其是老年男性的压力水平，应关注他们性生活的背景，以及他们是否感觉有性行为义务，同时也要关注其关系的积极和消极方面，因为这些可能会随着时间推移提高他们的压力水平。
