Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 4J1, Canada.
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
Arch Sex Behav. 2022 Apr;51(3):1559-1575. doi: 10.1007/s10508-021-02267-3. Epub 2022 Feb 18.
Beliefs about sexuality tend to become more salient during sexual challenges and are associated with how individuals respond to these difficulties and, in turn, their sexual well-being. The transition to parenthood is marked by significant changes to couples' sexuality. As such, this period of vulnerability may be an important context in which these beliefs impact how couples manage sexual stressors and may have implications for their sexual well-being. In a longitudinal dyadic study, we examined whether couples' sexual growth beliefs (e.g., beliefs that sexual problems can be resolved through effort) and sexual destiny beliefs (e.g., beliefs that sexual problems reflect incompatibility with their partner) correspond with changes to various facets of couples' sexual well-being over time. First-time parent couples (N = 203) completed online surveys assessing these beliefs in pregnancy (32 weeks) and measures of sexual well-being (satisfaction, desire, and distress) in pregnancy (20 and 32 weeks) and across the postpartum period (3, 6, 9, 12 months). Dyadic latent growth curve models showed that expectant mothers who reported stronger sexual destiny beliefs in pregnancy reported higher sexual distress and lower sexual satisfaction at 3 months postpartum. When partners reported stronger sexual destiny beliefs in pregnancy, both they and new mothers reported greater sexual desire at 3 months postpartum. Unexpectedly, partners' higher sexual growth beliefs in pregnancy predicted mothers' lower sexual desire at 3 months postpartum. Sexual growth and destiny beliefs were not associated with change in couples' sexual well-being beyond 3 months postpartum. Findings shed light on the potential benefits and costs of sexual growth and destiny beliefs for couples' sexual well-being early in the postpartum period, but not over time.
性观念在性挑战期间往往变得更加突出，并与个体如何应对这些困难以及他们的性健康有关。从伴侣关系向为人父母的转变伴随着夫妻双方性观念的重大改变。因此，这一脆弱时期可能是这些信念影响夫妻如何应对性压力源的重要背景，可能对他们的性健康产生影响。在一项纵向对偶研究中，我们研究了夫妻的性成长信念（例如，相信通过努力可以解决性问题）和性命运信念（例如，相信性问题反映了与伴侣的不兼容）是否与夫妻的各种性健康状况随时间的变化有关。首次生育的夫妇（N=203）完成了在线调查，这些调查在怀孕（32 周）和怀孕期间（20 周和 32 周）以及产后期间（3 个月、6 个月、9 个月、12 个月）评估了这些信念以及性健康（满意度、欲望和困扰）。对偶潜增长曲线模型显示，在怀孕期间报告性命运信念较强的准母亲在产后 3 个月报告性困扰更高，性满意度更低。当伴侣在怀孕期间报告性命运信念较强时，他们和新妈妈在产后 3 个月报告性欲望更高。出乎意料的是，伴侣在怀孕期间更高的性成长信念预测了母亲在产后 3 个月时性欲望更低。性成长和命运信念与产后 3 个月后夫妻性健康的变化无关。研究结果阐明了性成长和命运信念在产后早期对夫妻性健康的潜在益处和代价，但并不随着时间的推移而变化。
