The aim of the present research was to investigate the association between how individuals in romantic relationships conceptualize themselves sexually, and levels of reported sexual satisfaction for both themselves and their partner. Of additional interest was how an individual’s sexual self-schemas are associated with their perception of their partner’s sexual satisfaction. Reasoning that sexual self-schemas will have an influence on how individuals interpret and act in sexual situations, we propose that individuals’ sexual self-schemas will play a role in sexual satisfaction within relationships. We additionally examined whether sexual self-schemas influenced an individual’s perceptions of their partner after controlling for that partner’s reported levels of satisfaction. For both men and women, individual’s own sexual self-schemas were associated with own sexual satisfaction, but not partner’s sexual satisfaction. Additionally, individual’s own sexual self-schemas were associated with perceptions of partner’s sexual satisfaction, even after controlling for that partner’s self-reported sexual satisfaction.

The aim of the present research was to investigate the association between how individuals in romantic relationships conceptualize themselves sexually, and levels of reported sexual satisfaction for both themselves and their partner. Of additional interest was how an individual’s sexual self-schemas are associated with their perception of their partner’s sexual satisfaction. Reasoning that sexual self-schemas will have an influence on how individuals interpret and act in sexual situations, we propose that individuals’ sexual self-schemas will play a role in sexual satisfaction within relationships. We additionally examined whether sexual self-schemas influenced an individual’s perceptions of their partner after controlling for that partner’s reported levels of satisfaction. For both men and women, individual’s own sexual self-schemas were associated with own sexual satisfaction, but not partner’s sexual satisfaction. Additionally, individual’s own sexual self-schemas were associated with perceptions of partner’s sexual satisfaction, even after controlling for that partner’s self-reported sexual satisfaction.

Sexual assault (SA) has been associated with various negative psychological consequences for survivors. Recent studies have shown an association between the history of sexual assault and sexual dysfunction among female survivors of sexual victimization. Specifically, sexual assault survivors experience difficulties with aspects of sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, and sexual self-schemas (Rellini & Meston, 2011). The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between sexual victimization severity and sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. In addition, we tested a sequential mediational model in which sexual self-schema followed by depressive and PTSD symptoms would mediate the relationship between sexual victimization severity and sexual satisfaction and sexual functioning. Seventy-three female college students with a history of sexual victimization were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires designed to assess the history of sexual victimization, sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, sexual self-schemas and psychological distress levels (i.e., depression and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity). Results revealed no significant associations between severity of sexual victimization and sexual satisfaction and sexual functioning. Additionally, our sequential mediational models, in which sexual self-schema followed by depressive and PTSD symptoms would mediate the relationship between sexual victimization severity and sexual satisfaction and functioning were non-significant. Our findings may have been limited due to the lack of variability in sexual victimization severity. Future studies further investigating the role of sexual self-schema, depression, and PTSD on sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction among sexual assault survivors are warranted.