Sexual support is important for maintaining healthy relationships because it enhances mutual trust and helps partners feel more connected to each other. This can be seen in research that shows how couples who have regular sex tend to report higher levels of trust and cohesion than those who do not.
One study found that women who were regularly sexually satisfied had higher levels of trust in their partner compared to those who were not. Another study showed that men who reported having frequent orgasms also felt closer to their partner.
Stress can negatively impact these factors. When people are under stress, they may become less attentive to their partner's needs, leading to lower levels of trust and cohesion.
Stress can cause physical and emotional exhaustion, which can reduce libido and make it harder to enjoy sexual encounters. This means that even if partners want to engage in sex, stress might get in the way.
There is evidence that sexual support can mediate the effects of stress on relational trust and cohesion. One study found that when couples engaged in "shared sexual activities" such as kissing or holding hands, they reported higher levels of trust and intimacy. This suggests that simply touching your partner in a sexual way, even without penetrative sex, can help boost feelings of connection and trust.
Another study looked at whether sexual support helped buffer against the negative effects of stress on relationship satisfaction. They found that couples who had high levels of sexual support reported better relationship satisfaction even when experiencing high levels of stress. The authors suggested that this was because sexual support helps couples feel more connected and supported by their partner during difficult times.
Sexual support seems to be an important factor for maintaining healthy relationships. It can help partners stay connected even when facing challenges like stress. And it appears to have some protective benefits against the negative impacts of stress on relationships. So if you want to strengthen your bond with your partner, don't forget to prioritize sexual activity - even small gestures like cuddling or kissing can make a big difference.
To what degree does sexual support mediate the effects of stress on relational trust and cohesion?
The concept of sexual support refers to one's perception that their partner provides them with emotional and physical comfort during sexually intimate moments. It has been shown to play an important role in fostering stronger relationships through increasing feelings of closeness, intimacy, and mutual attraction between partners (Smith et al. , 2017).