Date of Award

2023

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychology

Specialization

Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Lynda Stein

Abstract

Couples in long distance romantic relationships (LDRR) infrequently have in-person sexual interactions with each other, which may have negative consequences for their sexual and relationship satisfaction and ultimately relationship stability. Technology mediated sexual interactions (TMSI) may be one way couples in LDRR achieve sexual satisfaction. The current study dyadically addressed the relationship between the frequency of TMSI, various mediums used for TMSI (video call, voice call, texting, social media), and sexual satisfaction among long-distance couples. Participants were mixed-sex couples (N = 73) in LDRR who completed online questionnaires every two months for six months. Data were analysed using Multilevel Modeling (MLM) and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model for both contemporaneous and time-lagged analysis. Results indicated that individuals’ frequency of TMSI was positively associated with their own contemporaneous sexual satisfaction and their partner’s subsequent sexual satisfaction. Contemporaneous analysis revealed that women’s frequency of TMSI using texting and social media was positively associated with their own sexual satisfaction while women’s frequency of voice calling for TMSI was positively associated with men’s sexual satisfaction. Results also indicated a significant negative effect of women’s frequency of use of video calling on men’s contemporaneous sexual satisfaction and women’s subsequent sexual satisfaction. Findings suggest that TMSI is associated with sexual satisfaction of couples in LDRR and that certain mediums of TMSI may be more beneficial than others. Individuals and their partners navigating the challenges of a LDRR may find that TMSI fosters sexual satisfaction, a central dimension of relationship quality and stability. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

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