Placing a child's or partner's needs above my own: Impacts on a couple's sexual relationship

• DOI: 10.1111/pere.12560
• Publication Date: 2024-07-06T00:51:26Z
• Authors: Laura M. Vowels; Natalie M. Sisson; Joëlle Darwiche; Emily A. Impett
• Keywords: Sexual relationship; Prioritization

Abstract Parent couples often struggle to maintain satisfying sex lives perhaps because partners have different priorities balance including the self, their relationship with each other, and relationships children. Given that parents are increasingly involved in supporting adult children, it is important examine how prioritization of other's needs over one's own shapes a couple's sexual relationship. In sample 179 parent university student children living at home, we examined whether prioritizing partner's (i.e., partner‐centrism) and/or child's child‐centrism) above were associated couples' outcomes (sexual desire, satisfaction, frequency). The results showed higher partner‐centrism was positively satisfaction for both men women. Having partner who prioritized them not child beneficial men's contrast, highly child‐centric women also child‐centric. findings highlight importance examining ways which prioritize other family members' when working couples. It may be especially they feel shares goal