Discrepancies between sexual desire and sexual activity: gender differences and associations with relationship satisfaction.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional population-based survey (graded Level 4 by design analogy)
PubMed 18396727 · doi:10.1080/00926230701620548
What was done
A cross-sectional, population-based survey in Finland evaluated men and women aged 33 to 43 to examine discrepancies between desired and actual frequencies of specific sexual behaviors (kissing and petting, sexual fantasies, oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and masturbation) and their associations with relationship satisfaction.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, sample sizes, or effect estimates. Both men and women reported wanting kissing and petting, sexual fantasies, oral sex, and vaginal intercourse more often than they experienced them. Sexual satisfaction (defined as no discrepancy between desired and actual frequencies) for vaginal intercourse and kissing/petting was positively associated with relationship satisfaction, whereas higher desired and actual frequency of masturbation were negatively associated with relationship satisfaction.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that relationship satisfaction is linked to alignment between desired and realized partnered sexual behaviors rather than frequency alone.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample size, effect sizes, p-values, or confidence intervals. The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, and the sample is restricted to a narrow age range (33–43 years) in a single country.
Cited by
- partial Inside relationships, women self-report having approximately the amount of sex they want, while men report wanting about twice as much sex as they have.