Predicting Sexual Satisfaction in Interpersonal Relationships

Two theoretical models hypothesized to predict sexual satisfaction were assessed. The Sexual Knowledge and Influence Model (SKIM), generated from Metts and colleagues' sexual communication research (Cupach & Metts, 1991 Cupach , W. R. , & Metts , S. (1991). Sexuality and communication in close relationships. In K. McKinney & S. Sprecher's (Eds.), Sexuality in close relationships (pp. 93–110). Hillsdale , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [Google Scholar], 1995 Cupach , W. R. , & Metts , S. ( 1995 ). The role of sexual attitude similarity in romantic heterosexual relationships . Personal Relationships , 2 , 287 – 300 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Metts & Cupach, 1989 Metts , S. , & Cupach , W. R. ( 1989 ). The role of communication in human sexuality . In K. McKinney & S. Sprecher (Eds.), Human sexuality: The societal and interpersonal context (pp. 139 – 161 ). Norwood , NJ : Ablex Publishing Corporation . [Google Scholar]; Metts & Spitzberg, 1996 Metts , S. , & Spitzberg , B. H. ( 1996 ). Sexual communication in interpersonal contexts: A script-based approach . In B. R. Burleson (Ed.), Communication Yearbook 19 (pp. 49 – 91 ). Thousand Oaks , CA : Sage .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]) and Luft's (1969 Luft , J. ( 1969 ). Of human interaction . Palo Alto , CA : National Press . [Google Scholar]) Johari window, delineates that willingness to communicate and sexual knowledge jointly predict sexual satisfaction. Alternatively, Byers's Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS; Byers, 2001 Byers , E. S. ( 2001 ). Evidence for the importance of relationship satisfaction for women's sexual functioning . In E. Kaschak & L. Tiefer's (Eds.), A new view of women's sexual problems (pp. 23 – 26 ). Binghamton , NY : The Haworth Press . [Google Scholar]; Byers & Demmons, 1999 Byers , E. S. , & Demmons , S. ( 1999 ). Sexual satisfaction and sexual self-disclosure within dating relationships . The Journal of Sex Research , 36 , 180 – 189 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Byers & Wang, 2004 Byers , E. S. , & Wang , A. ( 2004 ). Understanding sexuality in close relationships from the social exchange perspective . In J. H. Harvey , A. Wenzel , & S. Sprecher (Eds.), The handbook of sexuality in close relationships (pp. 203 – 234 ). Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates . [Google Scholar]; Lawrance & Byers, 1992 Lawrance , K. , & Byers , E. S. ( 1992 ). Development of the interpersonal exchange model of sexual satisfaction in long-term relationships . The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality , 1 , 123 – 127 . [Google Scholar], 1995 Lawrance , K. , & Byers , E. S. ( 1995 ). Sexual satisfaction in long-term heterosexual relationships: The interpersonal exchange model of sexual satisfaction . Personal Relationships , 2 , 267 – 285 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) suggests that exchange variables predict sexual satisfaction. Regression analyses demonstrated that these data were consistent with a combined model in which sexual knowledge and sexual exchange variables were successful at predicting individuals' sexual satisfaction levels.