Sexual Satisfaction in Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: The Mediating Role of Romantic Attachment and Dyadic Coping in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Previous literature highlighted the significance of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on sexual satisfaction in women and men. Given the pervasive lifelong consequences associated with CSA and the health and well-being implications associated with sexual satisfaction, it is beneficial to examine underlying mechanisms of this relationship. The aim of the present study was to examine CSA as a potential factor associated with romantic attachment, and subsequently dyadic coping (DC) and sexual satisfaction. In a cross-sectional design, 221 women and men in committed romantic relationships completed an online self-report questionnaire assessing the variables of interest. Results of correlation analyses revealed no significant associations between CSA and romantic attachment, DC, and sexual satisfaction. Furthermore, results of a serial mediation analysis revealed that romantic attachment and DC did not (sequentially) mediate the relationship between CSA and sexual satisfaction. The current study adds to existing research by supporting the need for more comprehensive understanding of sexual satisfaction for women and men who experienced CSA. The findings raised by this study emphasize the need for a more complete understanding of the CSA-sexual satisfaction link. Future research recommendations include creating a more nuanced perspective on the circumstances and conditions within which CSA impacts sexual well-being as well as a more representative and diverse sample of both women and men of ages, sexual orientations, and ethnicities.