Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy

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The Impact of Attachment Style on Sexual

Satisfaction and Sexual Desire in a Sexually
Diverse Sample

Kristen P Mark, Laura M Patrick & Sarah H Murray

To cite this article: Kristen P Mark, Laura M Patrick & Sarah H Murray (2017): The Impact of
Attachment Style on Sexual Satisfaction and Sexual Desire in a Sexually Diverse Sample, Journal
of Sex & Marital Therapy, DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2017.1405310

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1405310

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 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

The Impact of Attachment Style on Sexual Satisfaction and Sexual Desire

in a Sexually Diverse Sample

Kristen P Mark, PhD, MPH, Laura M Patrick, PGCert, BS, &

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Sarah H Murray, PhD

Corresponding Author:

Kristen Mark

Department of Kinesiology & Health Promotion

College of Education

122 Seaton Building

University of Kentucky

Lexington KY 40506

859-257-8935

[email protected]

Keywords: attachment style, sexual satisfaction, sexual desire, sexual diversity

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 Abstract

Research has indicated that adult romantic attachment is influential and important to

sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire, although not a direct focus of
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attachment literature, is highly related to sexual and relationship satisfaction, suggesting

it may also be impacted by attachment style in romantic couples. However, the research

conducted on sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and attachment has been largely

heterocentric, making it difficult to determine whether the findings documented in the

literature thus far are relevant in a sexually diverse group of individuals. The current

study aimed to better understand the way that attachment style may impact sexual

desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction in a sample of sexually diverse

men and women. In total, 955 individuals (63.4% cis-gender women, 30.7% cis-gender

men, 6.0% genderqueer; 54.8% straight, 20.4% bisexual, 18.4% gay) participated in a

web-based study examining relationship dynamics. In three multivariate regression

models indicated that attachment style significantly predicted relationship satisfaction

(29% of variance accounted for), sexual satisfaction (19% of variance accounted for),

and sexual desire (4% of variance accounted for). Attachment style appears to be a

more important contributing factor to satisfaction than desire amongst diverse sexual

orientations. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

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 Keywords: attachment, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, sexual desire

Introduction

The way in which individuals experience attachment in the context of romantic

relationships has been linked to sexual and relationship satisfaction (e.g., Brassard,

Peloquin, Dupuy, Wright & Shaver, 2012; Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Impett, Gordon &
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Strachman, 2008; Peloquin, Brassard, Lafontaine & Shaver, 2014) and it is important

and integral to long-term relationship success (Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Hollist & Miller,

2005; Peloquin et al., 2014). However, to date, research has been based on college-

aged individuals (e.g., Feeney, Peterson, Gallois & Terry, 2000; Schachner & Shaver,

2004) or heterosexual couples (e.g., Brassard et al., 2012; Impett et al., 2008; Peloquin

et al., 2014). Same-sex couples, in contrast, have largely been absent from the

sexuality and attachment literature. The current study aims to better understand the way

that attachment may impact sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship

satisfaction in a sample of sexually diverse men and women.

Attachment theory was first proposed by Bowlby (1969; 1973; 1980) to describe

the emotional bond that develops between an infant and their primary caregiver. For

nearly two decades, attachment theory was discussed solely in the context of mother-

infant dynamics. However, in 1987 researchers Hazan and Shaver proposed that the

same presumptions about attachment between parent and child could be used to

understand emotional bonds in romantic adult relationships. Specifically, the

researchers suggested that attachment patterns that develop during infancy could

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 influence the quality of close relationships individuals form when they are adults (Hazan

& Shaver, 1987). True to their hypothesis, Hazan and Shaver, in their 1987 study of 620

men and women, discovered that while secure adults described their relationships as

“happy, friendly, and trusting” (pg., 515), avoidantly attached adults experienced a fear

of intimacy in their romantic relationships, and anxiously attached adults experienced

obsession, extreme sexual attraction, and jealousy. Since its initial introduction, the
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concept of adult romantic attachment has evolved. Most researchers have moved away

from typologies and view attachment as a continuum along two dimensions: anxiety and

avoidance (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007).

It has been well documented that sexual satisfaction is highly correlated to, and

predictive of, relationship success (Mark, 2014; Mark & Murray, 2012; Willoughby &

Vitas, 2012). More recently, attachment has been found to influence sexual satisfaction

and relationship satisfaction, at least in heterosexual couples (Peloquin et al., 2014).

Mikulincer and Shaver (2007) suggested that individuals high in anxiety and avoidance

employ different sexual strategies that fulfil their attachment-related needs. In a study of

126 cohabitating or married community-based heterosexual couples and 55 clinically

distressed heterosexual couples, researchers determined that individuals who had

characteristics of avoidant attachment tended to be more self-reliant and avoid

interpersonal closeness (Peloquin et al., 2014). In romantic relationships, avoidant

attachment was also found to be associated with lower emotional closeness to one’s

partner and fewer expressions of intimacy. The absence of these factors in a romantic

partnership has been found to negatively impact sexual satisfaction (Peloquin et al.,

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 2014; Schachner & Shaver, 2004). Consequently, it appears that avoidantly attached

individuals may have lower levels of sexual satisfaction.

In contrast, anxiously attached individuals in Peloquin et al.’s (2014) study were

found to be uncertain of their worthiness of love, making them actively seek out

reassurance from their partners. Some of these individuals were preoccupied with their

own needs and had difficulty perceiving the needs of their partner (Peloquin et al.,
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2014). Research has also shown that anxiously attached individuals are likely to use

sex to increase their confidence and their ability to cope with difficult emotions (Hollist &

Miller, 2005; Impett & Peplau, 2003; Peloquin et al., 2014; Scachner & Shaver, 2004).

These individuals are also more willing to consent to unwanted sex, another mediating

factor that has been found to be related to decreased sexual satisfaction (Muise, Impett

& Desmarais, 2013). Therefore, anxious attachment also appears to be negatively

correlated with sexual satisfaction.

Sexual desire is a subjective awareness, motivational state, and the want to

attain something not currently attained that brings us towards and away from sexual

behavior (Kandel, 1999; Levine, 2002; Regan & Atkins, 2006; Regan & Bersheid, 1995).

Sexual desire has also been found to be positively and significantly related to sexual

and relationship satisfaction (Mark, 2014; Mark & Murray, 2012, Sprecher, 2002).

Specifically, couples who report higher levels of sexual desire (Mark, 2014) and couples

who experience lower levels of sexual desire discrepancy (Mark & Murray, 2012) are

more likely to experience higher levels of sexual satisfaction. As such, it can be

concluded that sexual desire influences, and is related to, sexual satisfaction. Further,

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 as sexual satisfaction is related to attachment (Brassard et al., 2012; Hazan & Shaver,

1987; Impett et al., 2008; Peloquin et al., 2104) it may be that sexual desire is also

related to attachment. In fact, researchers have suggested that individuals with avoidant

attachment may experience less sexual desire whereas individuals with anxious

attachment may be ambivalent and experience distressing emotions surrounding sexual

desire (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). However, to date, no direct link has been explored
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between how desire and attachment style may be related in the sexuality literature.

The Current Study

Attachment is documented to be influential and important to sexual and

relationship satisfaction (Brassard et al., 2012; Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Hollist & Miller,

2005; Impett et al., 2008; Peloquin et al., 2014). Sexual desire, although not a direct

focus of attachment literature, is highly related to sexual and relationship satisfaction,

suggesting it may also be impacted by attachment style in romantic couples. However,

the research conducted on sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and attachment has been

largely hetero-centric, or focused primarily on the heterosexual context (e.g., Brassard

et al., 2012; Peloquin et al., 2014), making it difficult to determine whether the findings

presented above would hold true amongst a sexually diverse group of individuals.

Further, the interpretations of dynamics between men and women made by prior

research use propositions from Sexual Script Theory and Sexual Role Theory to explain

differences between men and women that do not necessarily lend themselves to

describe or understand how same sex couples may experience attachment in relation to

their sexual satisfaction. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between

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 attachment, relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and sexual desire amongst

individuals with diverse sexual orientations and to explore what, if any, between group

differences exist.

Method

Participants

As part of a larger study of sexuality in couple relationships, 1,097 participants consented to

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participate. Due to missing data, 142 participants were removed from the data for analysis.

Therefore, the analytic sample consisted of 955 participants; 605 (63.4%) cis-gender women,

293(30.7%) cis-gender men, and 57 (6.0%) genderqueer. Most of the participants were straight

(n=523; 54.8%), 109 (11.4%) identified as gay, 67 (7.0%) as lesbian, and 194 (20.4%) as

bisexual. Majority of the participants were White (87.4%), married or cohabiting (62.4%), had at

least one child (79.5%), had at least some level of college (93.4%), and did not identify with any

religion (54.5%). The average age of the participants was 33 years. Table 1 demonstrates

detailed characteristics of the participants by gender.

Procedure

Participants completed an online survey that took approximately 25 minutes to complete.

Recruitment took place through Mechanical Turk (mTurk) where participants were paid .30

cents for the task. Recruitment was also conducted through social networking sites (e.g.,

Facebook, Twitter), email listservs, and targeted recruitment for sexual minority participants on

online forums. Participants recruited from these mediums were entered into a draw to win one of

four $40 Amazon gift cards. If eligible (over 18 years of age, experience with at least one

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 romantic relationship), individuals were asked to click on a web link from the recruitment

advertisement to access additional survey information and, if they chose, to consent to participate

in the study. Participants read an informed consent sheet, and clicked “I consent to participate”

or “I do not consent to participate”. If the participant provided their consent to participate, they

were directed to the survey. There was not a time limit on participation and they could

discontinue participation at any time for any reason without penalty. All research protocol was

approved by the first author’s institutional review board. Research has suggested that web-based
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surveys may be a more comfortable environment to collect data on sensitive issues such as

sexuality and relationships, and the data collected may be more accurate when collected online

(Turner, Ku, Rogers, Lindberg, Pleck, & Stonenstein, 1998). Additionally, data collected online

has been found to be methodologically equivalent to traditional data collection methods

regarding validity and reliability (Tyron, 2003).

Measures

The measures incorporated demographic questions on age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual

orientation, relationship status, children, and education. Additionally, participants answered

questions on the following constructs of interest:

Sexual satisfaction was assessed using the General Measure of Sexual Satisfaction Scale

(GMSEX; Lawrance & Byers, 1992). The GMSEX is a 5-item measure used to assess

satisfaction with the sexual relationship. The scale is scored on a 7-point semantic differential

and higher scores are indicative of greater sexual satisfaction. This scale has shown strong

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 psychometric properties (Mark, Herbenick, Fortenberry, Sanders, & Reece, 2014) and in the

current sample, the Cronbach’s alpha was .95.

Relationship satisfaction was assessed using the General Measure of Relationship

Satisfaction (GMREL; Lawrance & Byers, 1992). The GMREL measures satisfaction with one’s

overall relationship with their partner. Similar to the GMSEX, the GMREL is a 5-item scale

rated on a 7-point semantic differential and higher scores are indicative of greater relationship
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satisfaction. This scale has shown strong reliability and validity in previous studies (Lawrence &

Byers, 1992; 1995) and in the current sample, the Cronbach’s alpha was .97.

Sexual desire was assessed using the Dyadic Subscale of the Sexual Desire Inventory

(SDI-D; Spector, Carey, & Steinberg, 1996). The SDI-D is an 8-item measure that assesses an

individual’s interest in dyadic sexual activity over the past month (e.g. “When you have sexual

thoughts, how strong is your desire to engage in sexual behavior with a partner?”) and higher

scores are indicative of higher dyadic sexual desire. The SDI-D has shown strong evidence of

reliability and validity in previous studies (Baumeister, Catanese, & Vohs, 2001) and in the

current sample, the Cronbach’s alpha was .77.

Attachment style was assessed using the Experience in Close Relationships Scale – Short

form (ECR-S; Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt, & Vogel, 2007). The ECR-S consists of two 6-item

Likert scales: one for anxiety (e.g. I’m afraid that I will lose my partner’s love.”) and one for

avoidance (e.g. “I try to avoid getting too close to my partner.”). Higher scores indicate higher

levels of insecurity of attachment. The ECR-S has shown strong evidence of reliability and

validity in previous studies (Wei et al., 2007) and in the current sample, the Cronbach’s alpha

was .75 for anxiety and .80 for avoidance.

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 Results

Bivariate Analyses. There was a significant difference in anxious attachment between men,

women, and gender queer identified participants, F(2) = 6.40, p < .01, such that women (M =

22.21, SD = 7.30) and genderqueer participants (M = 23.12, SD = 7.45) were significantly higher

in anxious attachment than men (M = 20.53, SD = 7.48); the size of this significant difference

was small (Hedges’ g = .23). There was not a significant difference between men, women, and
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genderqueer identified participants in avoidant attachment, F(2) = 1.21, p = .30. With regard to

sexual orientation, a similar pattern emerged with significant differences in anxious attachment

F(4) = 2.77, p < .05, but not in avoidant attachment, F(4) = .76, p = .55. Within anxious

attachment patterns, the significant difference was between bisexual (M = 23.18, SD = 7.45) and

straight (M = 21.29, SD = 7.37) participants such that bisexual participants were more anxiously

attached than straight participants; the size of this significant difference was small (Hedges’ g =

.26). To examine between group differences in gender and sexual orientation, a 3 (gender: male,

female, genderqueer) x 5 (orientation: bisexual, gay, lesbian, straight, queer) factorial ANOVA

was run. None of the comparisons in the ANOVA were significant: gender (p = .16), orientation

(p = .19), gender x orientation (p = .94). This does not support examination of each separately

and consequently all further analyses were conducted on the sample as a whole. Additionally,

within the outcome variables of interest, there were no significant differences in sexual or

relationship satisfaction between orientation groups (all p > .05) or gender categories (all p >

.05). There was a significant main effect of gender in sexual desire F(2) = 10.53, p < .001, such

that women (M = 53.69, SD = 11.31) scored significantly lower on sexual desire than men (M =

57.21, SD = 10.31), but no significant differences were found with genderqueer participants; the

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 size of this significant difference was small to medium (Hedges’ g = .32). There was also a

significant difference on sexual desire between orientation groups, F(3) = 3.71, p < .05.

Specifically, lesbian participants (M = 51.19, SD = 11.12) scored significantly lower than

bisexual (M = 56.19, SD = 11.54), gay (M = 55.62, SD = 11.68), and straight (M = 54.94, SD =

11.21) participants on sexual desire; the effect size of these differences were small to medium

(Hedges’ g = .44, .39, and .33 respectively).

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Multivariate Analyses. Three multiple regression analyses were used to test whether

attachment style predicted relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and sexual desire in our

diverse sample of participants. Age and relationship length were controlled for in all three

models. Both attachment avoidance and anxiety significantly predicted participants’ ratings of

relationship satisfaction, F(4, 667) = 68.747, p < .001, with 29% of the variance accounted for in

the model (adjusted R2 = .29). Specifically, higher levels of both attachment anxiety and

avoidance were predictive of lower levels of avoidance predicted 23.2% of the variance in

relationship satisfaction and anxiety predicted 5.7% of the variance in relationship satisfaction.

Attachment avoidance and anxiety also significantly predicted sexual satisfaction F(4, 667) =

40.478, p < .001, with 19% of the variance accounted for in the model (adjusted R2 = .19).

Similar to relationship satisfaction, higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance predicted

lower levels of sexual satisfaction and avoidance predicted 15.4% of the variance in sexual

satisfaction and anxiety predicted 2.7% of the variance in sexual satisfaction. Both attachment

avoidance and anxiety also predicted the participants’ sexual desire, F(4, 667) = 8.432, p < .001,

with 4% of variance accounted for in the model (adjusted R2 = .04). Avoidance predicted 3.3% of

the variance in sexual desire and anxiety predicted 1.8% of the variance in sexual desire; higher

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 levels of attachment avoidance predicted lower levels of sexual desire, whereas higher levels of

attachment anxiety predicted higher levels of sexual desire. The regression results are presented

in Table 2.

Discussion

The aim of the current study was to better understand how attachment style impacts
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sexual desire, sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction amongst a sexually diverse sample.

The findings offer some support for previous research which has similarly concluded that

securely attached individuals are more satisfied in their sexual and romantic relationships while

avoidantly and anxiously attached individuals report lower satisfaction in these areas (Peloquin

et al., 2014; Schachner & Shaver, 2004). However, our study also expands on past research by

suggesting that these findings, which had only previously been documented with heterosexual

samples, also applies to lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer identified individuals.

While both avoidant and anxious attachment styles significantly and negatively predicted

relationship and sexual satisfaction, an avoidant attachment style was found to account for more

variance in decreased satisfaction levels. Specifically, avoidant attachment predicted 23.2% of

the variance in relationship satisfaction and 15.4% of sexual satisfaction while anxious

attachment only accounted for 5.7% and 2.7% of the variance in these areas respectively. As

individuals with avoidant attachment styles tend to avoid closeness, not rely on others, and be

distressed by closeness and intimacy (Peloquin et al., 2014; Schachner & Shaver, 2004) – it

seems logical that these behaviours and attitudes could result in lower sexual and relationship

satisfaction. Alternatively, while anxiously attached individuals may be preoccupied with their

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 own needs (Peloquin et al., 2014; Schachner & Shaver, 2004) – likely having a negative impact

on sexual and relationship satisfaction – these individuals also tend to have a positive view of

their partner and are actively involved in their relationships, thereby potentially moderating some

of these otherwise negative effects.

The findings on attachment and sexual desire are novel as there has been limited research

conducted on this topic to date. The limited research on this topic could, perhaps, be due to the
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fact that the association is low, making it less worthy of study. However, despite the association

between attachment style and sexual desire being small, the findings from the current study

suggest that individuals with avoidant attachment styles had lower levels of sexual desire, which

is consistent with the avoidant attachment style. Specifically, avoidantly attached individuals are

thought to avoid closeness, which may mean denying or restricting their desire for their partner.

They are also more likely to be self-reliant which, when it comes to sex, could suggest they rely

more on themselves for sexual pleasure – perhaps through pornography use and/or masturbation

rather than reaching out to their partner. In contrast, anxiously attached individuals reported

higher levels of desire. This may be due to anxious individuals being overly reliant on their

partners, needing to be close to them, and perceiving their partners in a very favorable light,

subsequently leading to higher desire to be with them sexually.

Despite analyzing the data by orientation and gender, no significant differences were

found. Given that it is theorized, by some, that attachment styles develop in infancy and remain

fairly stable into adulthood (e.g., Kirkpatrick & Hazan, 1994) it is possible that attachment styles

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 develop before our awareness of our sexual orientation or gender identity. These findings also

offer interesting observations about the far and deep-reaching impact of attachment styles, such

that gender and sexual orientation would not be mediating factors. Put another way, attachment

appears to be an early developmental experience that lends itself to impact relationships

regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Clinical Implications
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Sex tends to be one of the main reasons why couples seek therapy (Leiblum, & Rosen

2000). The findings from this study suggest that clinical interventions and approaches that focus

on attachment (for example emotionally focused couples therapy; Greenberg & Johnson, 1988)

may be helpful in increasing relationship and sexual satisfaction (and perhaps even sexual

desire). In fact, a recent publication offers specific suggestions and guidelines for how

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) may be an effective method of addressing desire

discrepancy in couples (Girard & Woolley, 2016). The current study offers additional support

that EFT could also be effectively applied to a variety of individuals regardless of gender or

sexual orientation.

It is also important for clinicians working with couples presenting issues around sexuality

to be aware of, and consider, their clients’ attachment styles. Specifically, avoidant and anxious

people may use different strategies to achieve relationship and sexual satisfaction and these may

need to be taken into account in clinical settings and focus on helping the individuals meet their

needs. For example, if a client is either highly interested in (or avoiding) sex their level of

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 interest could be a symptom of a larger sense of security (or lack thereof) in the client’s current

relationship and, potentially, their family upbringing.

Finally, despite the importance of attachment on sexual and relationship satisfaction in

the current study, it is important to note that attachment explained only a small portion of the

variance in sexual desire. Therefore the findings are a reminder of the complexity of sexual

desire and that there may be many other factors to focus on in the clinical setting. Specifically, in
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sex therapy we would encourage therapists to continue to explore a wide variety of impacts to

sexual desire (such as medical issues, cultural issues and relational and psychological issues) that

have been repeatedly found to influence men and women’s sexual interest (e.g., Graham,

Sanders, Mlihausen & McBride, 2006; Janssen, McBride, Yarber, Hill, & Butler, 2008; Tiefer,

2001).

Limitations and Future Directions

Although the current study expanded our understanding of attachment, sexual and

relationship satisfaction and sexual desire to a sexually diverse sample, there are still some

noteworthy limitations. First, the current study used a cross-sectional design which may have

tapped into our variables of interest as states rather than traits. It would be of value to explore

sexual desire, sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction over time and whether changes

occur at different stages of a relationship for men and women as well as across new and different

relationships.

Additionally, the current study only included individuals who were in relationships, but

did not include the participants’ partners. Dyadic research, which includes both members of a

couple, would be of value to see how attachment, sexual desire, sexual and relationship

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 satisfaction play out in a couple dynamic. This would allow us to better understand the nuances

of relationships with matched or mis-matched attachment styles (e.g., anxious-avoidant vs.

secure-secure). Of note, some research has been done on the buffering effects of a secure partner

and how insecurely attached couples tend to be worse off (Senchak and Leonard, 1992).

Further, although the current study sample included a sexually diverse sample that has

been missing from the attachment, sexuality and relationship literature, the sample was still
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largely Caucasian and relatively young. Further research that aims to recruit a wider range of

ages and ethnicities would be of value. Finally, while the findings from this study begin to point

to conclusions we can draw about the LGBTQ populations intimate relationships, they are

preliminary and should be implemented with some degree of caution. It is highly recommended

that additional research be conducted with sexually diverse individuals to determine whether

findings from the current study are replicable with other LGBTQ samples.

Conclusions

Attachment style appears to be an important contributing factor to sexual satisfaction and

relationship satisfaction amongst various sexual orientations. Additionally, attachment style

appears to have a small, but significant impact on sexual desire. These findings help provide a

better understanding of the sexual and romantic lives of LGBTQ* individuals. It is suggested

that clinicians be aware that attachment style may be an important area of focus when working

with individuals of all orientations presenting issues of a sexual and romantic nature.

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 Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the sample by gender.

Male Female Genderqueer Total

n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%)
M = 36 M = 31 M = 33 M = 33
Age
SD = 9.46 SD = 9.01 SD = 9.50 SD = 9.50
Sex
Male 293 (30.7%) 293 (30.7%)
Female 605 (63.4%) 605 (63.4%)
Genderqueer 57 (6.0%) 57 (6.0%)
Sexual Orientation
Straight 152 (51.9%) 364 (60.2%) 7 (12.3%) 523 (54.8%)
Gay 100 (34.1%) 9 (15.8%) 109 (11.4%)
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Lesbian 67 (11.1%) 0 (0%) 67 (7.0%)

Bisexual 37 (12.6%) 138 (22.8%) 20 (35.1%) 195 (20.4%)
Relationship Status
Single 28 (9.6%) 69 (11.4%) 9 (15.8%) 106 (11.1%)
Married, living with spouse 119 (40.6%) 206 (34.0%) 16 (28.1%) 341 (35.7%)
Married, not living with spouse 1 (0.3%) 1 (0.2%) 0 (0%) 2 (0.2%)
Partnered, living with partner 78 (26.6%) 165 (27.3%) 12 (21.1%) 255 (26.7%)
Partnered, not living with partner 52 (17.7%) 130 (21.5%) 12 (21.1%) 194 (20.3%)
Separated 0 (0%) 5 (0.8%) 1 (1.8%) 6 (0.6%)
Divorced 2 (0.7%) 5 (0.8%) 1 (1.8%) 8 (0.8%)
Other 13 (4.4%) 24 (4.0%) 6 (10.5%) 43 (4.5%)
Number of Children
Zero
 69 (23.5%) 115 (19.0%) 12 (21.1%) 196 (20.5%)
One
 67 (11.1%) 67 (11.1%) 6 (10.5%) 99 (10.4%)
Two
 55 (9.1%) 55 (9.1%) 3 (5.3%) 93 (9.7%)
Three
 11 (1.8%) 11 (1.8%) 0 (0%) 25 (2.6%)
Four
 7 (1.2%) 7 (1.2%) 0 (0%) 8 (0.8%)
Five 3 (0.5%) 3 (0.5%) 0 (0%) 4 (0.4%)
Education
Not finished high school 2 (0.3%) 6 (1.0%) 1 (1.8%) 9 (0.9%)
High school or GED 13 (4.4%) 18 (3.0%) 4 (7.0%) 35 (3.7%)
Some college 48 (16.4%) 116 (19.2%) 13 (22.8%) 177 (18.5%)
College/University graduate 90 (30.7%) 179 (29.6%) 16 (28.1%) 285 (29.8%)
Some graduate school 28 (9.6%) 77 (12.7%) 6 (10.5%) 111 (11.6%)
Graduate school graduate 110 (37.5%) 197 (32.6%) 12 (21.1%) 319 (33.4%)
Other 2 (0.7%) 12 (2.0%) 4 (7.0%) 18 (1.9%)
Race/Ethnicity

White or Caucasian 262 (89.4%) 523 (86.4%) 50 (87.7%) 835 (87.4%)
Black/African American 7 (2.4%) 13 (2.1%) 0 (0%) 20 (2.1%)
Asian
 8 (2.7%) 12 (2.0%) 1 (1.8%) 21 (2.2%)
North American Native/Pacific Islander 3 (1.0%) 5 (0.9%) 0 (0%) 8 (0.8%)
Multiracial
 8 (2.7%) 33 (5.5%) 2 (3.5%) 43 (4.5%)
Some other ethnic group 3 (1.0%) 15 (2.5%) 3 (5.3%) 21 (2.2%)

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 Religion
Catholic 26 (8.9%) 54 (8.9%) 1 (1.8%) 81 (8.5%)
Christian, other 24 (8.2%) 67 (11.1%) 4 (7.0%) 95 (9.5%)
Hindu 1 (0.3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (0.1%)
Jewish 19 (6.5%) 27 (4.5%) 8 (14.0%) 54 (5.7%)
Mormon 4 (1.4%) 1 (0.2%) 0 (0%) 5 (0.5%)
Muslim 14 (4.8%) 9 (1.5%) 0 (0%) 9 (0.9%)
Protestant 14 (4.8%) 31 (5.1%) 3 (5.3%) 48 (5.0%)
Agnostic/Atheist 167 (57.0%) 326 (53.9%) 27 (47.4%) 520 (54.5%)
34 (11.6%) 86 (14.2%) 13 (22.8%) 133 (13.9%)
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 Table 2. Multiple regression analysis for attachment avoidance and anxiety predicting

relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and sexual desire.

Relationship Satisfaction Sexual Satisfaction Sexual Desire

Predictor B SE β B SE β B SE β
Model 1
Age -.08 .03 -.11** -.14 .03 -.16*** -.07 .04 -.07
Relationship Length -.03 .08 -.01 -.10 .10 -.04 -.08 .12 -.03
Model 2
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Age -.06 .02 -.08* -.12 .03 -.16*** -.05 .04 -.05
Relationship Length -.02 .07 -.01 -.10 .09 -.04 -.09 .12 -.03
Avoidance -.55 .04 -.50*** -.54 .05 -.39*** -.31 .06 -.18***
Anxiety -.12 .03 -.13*** -.10 .04 -.09* .19 .05 .13***
Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001

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