Expanding together: How self-expansion and partner responsiveness shape sexual well-being in couples coping with sexual interest/arousal disorder.

Key Points

• The study aims to explore how self-expansion and partner responsiveness influence sexual well-being in couples with sexual interest/arousal disorder.
• Participants were assessed at baseline, and 6- and 12-month follow-ups.
• Data was collected on self-expansion, partner responsiveness, sexual desire, satisfaction, and distress.
• Longitudinal analyses were performed to evaluate associations between self-expansion and sexual outcomes.
• On days of higher self-expansion, both partners reported greater partner responsiveness (PPR), linked to increased sexual desire and satisfaction.
• Greater self-expansion correlated with higher sexual desire and lower distress for individuals with sexual interest/arousal disorder.
• Enhanced PPR linked to higher sexual satisfaction reported for both partners.