Egalitarianism, Housework, and Sexual Frequency in Marriage

The Association Between Sexual Initiation and Membership in Dyadic Profiles of Perceived Shared Power

There is scarce empirical evidence examining whether sexual initiation and power are associated with each other. Utilizing latent profile analyses, we examined in a nationally representative sample of US newlywed heterosexual couples (N = 1,948 couples) whether wives' and husbands' sexual initiation patterns and satisfaction with these patterns were associated with membership in different profiles of wives' and husbands' perceptions of shared relational power while accounting for both partner's satisfaction with sexual frequency. We found four profiles of wives' and husbands' perceptions of power. The most common profile was when both wives and husbands perceived high levels of power compared to other profiles, but wives had significantly higher reports of perceived power than husbands (High Power, Wife Higher; 40.8%). Husbands' sexual initiation patterns were not associated with profile membership. Wives who reported equal sexual initiation patterns had a higher probability of being in the High Power, Wife Higher profile compared to the Wife Low Power, Husband Moderate Power profile. Both wives' and husbands' satisfaction with sexual initiation patterns were associated with profile membership. Wives and husbands that were satisfied with sexual initiation patterns had a higher probability of being in the High Power, Wife Higher profile compared to the profile where both wives and husbands had high perceptions of shared relational power compared to other profiles, but their scores were not significantly different from each other (High Power, Equal).

Economic distress and perceptions of sexual intimacy in remarriage

Introduction

Economic distress and the relationship stability of remarried couples has been subject to some exploration, but less emphasis has been placed on how economic distress among remarried couples impacts other relationship domains, particularly sexual intimacy.

Methods

Through the lens of multidimensional family development theory (MFDT), this study utilizes longitudinal data over a three-year period to examine the links between economic distress, couple engagement, relationship satisfaction, and perceptions of sexual intimacy among remarried couples (n = 1,161 couples; 97% White).

Results

Through a dyadic structural equation model, results showed that wives' report of economic distress was directly related to their self-rejection of a partner's sexual advances. Findings also revealed gender differences in how both relationship satisfaction and couple engagement influenced one to accept or reject their partner's sexual advances, with couple engagement acting as a significant predictor for wives. Relationship satisfaction was also found to explain (i.e., mediate) the relation between economic distress and sexual intimacy, but only for husbands.

Discussion

Implications for further research and interventions designed to strengthen the relationships of remarried couples dealing with economic distress and intimacy issues are offered.

Religiosity, Sex Frequency, and Sexual Satisfaction in Britain: Evidence from the Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal)

Previous studies on the relationship between religiosity and sexual behavior have yielded mixed results, partly due to variations by gender and marital status. Furthermore, less is known about this relationship in relatively secularized societies, as in the case of Britain. In this study, we used data from the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) to explore the link between religiosity (11% of men and 16% of women stated that religion and religious beliefs were very important to them) and sex frequency and satisfaction among men and women in different types of relationships. Women and men who saw religion as more important in their lives reported having less sex on average, though this was mainly driven by the significantly lower sex frequency among non-cohabiting religious individuals compared to their less religious peers. At the same time, religiosity was linked with overall higher levels of sex life satisfaction. This relationship appeared to be largely mediated by attitudes on the appropriate context for sexual intercourse. These findings highlight the importance of sociocultural norms in shaping sexual behavior and sexual satisfaction.

Will narrowing the educational gap between husband and wife alleviate housework inequality: Evidence from China

In the past 20 years, China's educational advantage has undergone a gender reversal. The average educational level of women is higher than that of men. However, the gender difference in housework is gradually expanding, and women are still the main undertakers of housework. Based on the China Family Panel Studies, this study explores the impact of the educational gap between husband and wife on the inequality of housework division and its mechanism. OLS regression model was used to estimate the impact of marital education gap on household inequality. It is concluded that the higher the education level of the husband is than that of the wife, the greater the gender inequality in housework. This conclusion is significant at the level of 0.01. On this basis, the instrumental variable method was used to overcome the endogenous problems and a more accurate conclusion was reached. Every unit of increase in the education gap between husband and wife would increase the degree of household inequality by 0.281 percentage points. Quantile regression provides strong evidence for the results. When the gender time ratio of housework is in the range of 0.8-0.95, the education gap will have an impact on the gender division of housework. After the robustness test and heterogeneity analysis of the model, an intermediary variable was established to discuss the mechanism of the model. The income disparity and the working time gap were proved to be intermediary variables. This study believes that in modern society, the education gap between husband and wife will affect the inequality of housework division by changing the relative income and relative working time of husband and wife. Although the educational advantages of women in the whole society have not changed their role in the division of housework. However, with the narrowing of the educational gap between husband and wife, the degree of inequality in the division of housework has been alleviated, indicating that the improvement of women's education level has alleviated the inequality in the division of housework to a certain extent.

Changes in Frequency and Patterns of Marital Sexual Activity During COVID-19: Evidence From Longitudinal Data Prior to, During and After Lockdown in Singapore

BACKGROUND

The literature suggests that the pandemic has affected sexual activity and sexual desire around the world, potentially due to increased levels of stress, movement restrictions under lockdown conditions, and changes in relationship quality.

AIM

To investigate changes in frequency and patterns of marital sexual activity and the role of potential factors underlying these changes, during and after COVID-19 lockdown.

METHODS

This longitudinal study followed 409 heterosexual married female participants who completed a baseline survey in April-July 2018 and biweekly online surveys over the next 14 weeks; an online survey in May 2020 during the lockdown in Singapore; and an online survey in June 2020 after the lockdown was lifted. Participants were recruited in 2018 using street intercept and screened for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Logistic fixed-effects models were used to test for changes in frequency and patterns of marital sexual activity and assess underlying factors. Pseudo-design-based sample weights were applied.

OUTCOMES

The 2018 in-person baseline survey collected information on demographic characteristics and ideal frequency of marital sex, while follow-up online questionnaires in May-June 2020 included items on exact dates of marital sexual activity of previous weeks; stress and fatigue levels; both spouses' stay-at-home statuses during lockdown; and marital satisfaction.

RESULTS

409 heterosexual married women were included in this study. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, the proportion of participants not having marital sex within a week remained stable while weekly sexual frequency increased, with more evenly distributed sexual activity on weekdays and weekends. Stress, fatigue, and marital satisfaction levels predicted probability of non-activity and sexual frequency.

CLINICAL TRANSLATION

The increase in weekly sexual frequency has implications for sexual and reproductive health, including sexual satisfaction and prevalence of infertility and low birth weight associated with waiting time to pregnancy.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

The longitudinal nature of the dataset provides unique insights into differences in frequency of marital sexual activity during compared to before the pandemic. Unlike previous studies, detailed data on exact dates of sexual activity allow for detection of differences in sexual activity by day of the week. However, dates of sexual activity were recorded retrospectively and may contain recall errors. Data were collected only from wives and hence dates of marital sexual activities were not cross-validated with husbands.

CONCLUSION

Results point to more active and flexible marital sex lives during the pandemic, with effects that persisted after the lockdown ended. Tan PL. Changes in Frequency and Patterns of Marital Sexual Activity During COVID-19: Evidence From Longitudinal Data Prior to, During and After Lockdown in Singapore. J Sex Med 2022;19:188-200.

Feminist Identity and Sexual Behavior: The Intimate Is Political

Feminism is understood to be not only about equality for women as a group, but also about personal choices in a gender-unequal world. In this paper, I examined whether feminist identity was associated with solo and partnered sexual behavior. Using an original, representative survey of adult Canadian women (N = 1126), I employed ordinal logistic and logistic regression analyses to assess the relationship between feminist identity and sexual behavior. I found that those who called themselves feminists reported having more recently masturbated than non-feminist women. In addition, I found that in partnered sexual encounters, feminists were more likely to participate in anal play, as well as engage in more kissing, cuddling, and massage than non-feminists. I also found that feminist women were more likely to receive oral sex than non-feminists. These findings contribute to our understanding of feminist identity as tied to women's personal lives, extending this association to the realm of sexual activity. In this case, the political is not only personal, it is intimate as well. Claiming a feminist identity is aligned with an approach to sexuality that includes a wider array of intimate and sexual behaviors that center women's sexual and emotional needs in partnered encounters.

Stress, Fatigue, and Sexual Spontaneity Among Married Couples in a High-Stress Society: Evidence from Sex Diary Data from Singapore

This paper investigates the associations between stress and fatigue and sexual spontaneity among heterosexual married couples in Singapore, a high-income society with high work performance expectations and long working hours. Data on self-reported menstrual dates, sexual activity within the marriage, and stress and fatigue levels were collected from 657 married women aged 25-34 years through biweekly online diaries over 14 weeks. Using a two-way fixed effects logistic model which controlled for time-invariant individual fixed effects and menstrual cycle fixed effects, the paper tests three hypotheses: (1) sexual activity is significantly lower on weekdays compared to weekends and public holidays, (2) sexual activity is significantly lower during periods when women reported higher stress and fatigue, and (3) stress and fatigue are more predictive of sexual activity during weekdays than during weekends. Frequencies of marital sexual intercourse during the diary keeping period were 3.69 and 2.55 per 30 days among women aged 25-29 and 30-34 years, respectively, much lower than ideal frequencies of 6.40 and 5.23. Consistent with all three hypotheses, there was a strong positive weekend effect and a weak but positive public holiday effect, and strong negative effects of both stress and fatigue, especially during weekdays. There was no evidence of compensatory sex on weekends to make up for hectic workweeks. Increased support for work-life balance can contribute to more spontaneous marital sex lives and may reduce underachievement of ideals for sexual intimacy and childbearing in Singapore.

Development and validation of the World Health Organization disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) Indonesian version in stroke survivors

PURPOSE

Stroke is the third most common cause of disability worldwide. In order to effectively study the disability status experienced by stroke survivors, it is important to identify reliable and valid tools to measure disability that can be administered to this population. No previous study had been conducted on the Indonesian version of the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Indonesian version of the WHODAS 2.0 for stroke survivors in Indonesia.

METHODS

Following translation and back-translation, the Indonesian version of the WHODAS 2.0 was administered to 183 stroke survivors. We used all six domains of the WHODAS 2.0, with the exception of four items of "work or school activities" in domain 5. Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach's alpha, the inter-rater reliability was measured by interclass correlations (ICCs), and the construct validity was tested with an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

RESULTS

The range of Cronbach's alpha was 0.86-0.92, which indicated excellent reliability, and ICC was very good at 0.87-0.99. The EFA and CFA for the main 32-item questionnaire exhibited a total variance of 95% (KMO) and a p value of <0.05. The factor loadings per items were >0.4, and all the model fit indices were acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

The WHODAS 2.0 was adapted for use in Indonesia and showed good results for all six domains. Therefore, the Indonesian version of the WHODAS 2.0 can be applied to assess disability in Indonesian stroke survivors.Implications for rehabilitationThe WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) was developed as a single, generic instrument for assessing the health status and disability in different cultures and settings.In this study, we adapted and validated an Indonesian version of the WHODAS 2.0 for stroke survivors in Indonesia.The WHODAS 2.0 was adapted for use in Indonesia and showed good results for all six domains.The Indonesian version of the WHODAS 2.0 can be applied to assess disability in Indonesian stroke survivors.

Gendered perceptions of fairness in housework and shared expenses: Implications for relationship satisfaction and sex frequency

There is a demonstrated relationship between couples’ division of household chores—and, to a lesser extent, the division of shared expenses—and their relationship quality. Less is known, however, about whether and how individuals’ perceived fairness of these arrangements is associated with couples’ relationships in different ways. Using a gendered equity framework, and drawing on 10,236 responses collected via an online national news website, this study examines how equity evaluations of housework and shared expenses are related to relationship satisfaction and sex frequency among different-gender household partners. Consistent with previous findings, the results indicate that evaluations of unfairness to oneself are a stronger predictor of relationship quality than perceived unfairness to one’s partner. Additionally, fairness evaluations over shared expenses are a stronger predictor of relationship quality than perceived equity in housework. Incorporating notions about traditional gender norms and expectations into the justice framework, the results point to some variation in relationship outcomes based on men’s and women’s differential equity evaluations.

Parenthood Is Associated With Greater Well-Being for Fathers Than Mothers

The experiences of mothers and fathers are different in ways that could affect their well-being. Yet few studies have comprehensively examined gender differences in parents’ well-being. In the current research, we investigated such gender differences in a large representative sample (Study 1a; N = 13,007), in a community sample using validated well-being measures (Study 1b; N = 472), and in a large experience sampling study measuring happiness during caregiving activities and during interactions with children (Study 2; N = 4,930). Fathers reported greater happiness, subjective well-being, psychological need satisfaction, and daily uplifts than did men without children (Studies 1a and 1b). During caregiving experiences, fathers reported greater happiness, whereas mothers reported lower happiness, compared with their other activities. Fathers also reported relatively higher happiness when interacting with their children than did mothers (Study 2). Across all three studies and more than 18,000 participants, parenthood was associated with more positive well-being outcomes for fathers than for mothers.

Sexual activity and weekly contraceptive use among young adult women in Michigan

Past studies on the influence of sexual activity on contraceptive behaviours are inconclusive, relying heavily on cross-sectional data. We used a population-based longitudinal sample of young women in Michigan to evaluate weekly associations between sexual activity and contraceptive use at three levels of measurement: comparing between women, among individual women's partnerships, and from week to week within partnerships. We used multinomial logistic regression accounting for correlations within partnerships and women. Relative to use of least effective methods, weekly sexual activity was significantly associated with increased use of condoms, pills, and highly effective methods. For pills and highly effective methods, partnership-, woman-, and week-level effects were similar. For condoms, there was no significant woman-level effect. Evidence of immediate effects of sexual activity on contraceptive use highlights the importance of longitudinal data. These dynamics may be diluted or missed altogether when relying on cross-sectional data approaches that compare groups of individuals.

Putting Sex Into Context in Later Life: Environmental Disorder and Sexual Interest Among Partnered Seniors

Background and Objectives

This study examines whether neighborhood and household disorder is associated with sexual interest among partnered seniors.

Research Design and Methods

Analyses use dyadic data from Wave 2 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults (2010-2011). Measures of environmental disorder were conducted by trained interviewers. Survey data were also linked to census tract information from the 2009 American Community Survey. We used actor-partner interdependence models to estimate the likelihood of reporting low sexual interest.

Results

There was no observed association between neighborhood context (physical disorder or census tract socioeconomic disadvantage) and sexual interest, but husbands were more likely to report low sexual interest if they lived in more disorderly households. High marital quality protected against low sexual interest, but these evaluations did not mediate or moderate the putative effect of household disorder.

Discussion and Implications

Regardless of the broader neighborhood context, helping older adults maintain an orderly home space may help sustain sexual functioning. Future research should consider how various features of the environment matter for additional aspects of late-life sexuality.

Sex Life Satisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Descriptive and Exploratory Analysis

Nearly all of the sex life satisfaction literature has dealt with developed-country settings, and nothing has been published on sex life satisfaction in sub-Saharan Africa. Not only is sub-Saharan African a substantively relevant area in its own right, but it also provides a useful point of comparison for patterns and relations found in developed-world contexts. A brief descriptive and exploratory study of sex life satisfaction in sub-Saharan Africa was conducted using the World Gallup Poll, a dataset with representative sex life satisfaction data for 31 countries and 25,483 cases. In general, there was little variation in weighted averages across countries, and most of the samples surveyed were satisfied with their sex lives, with the modal score being a perfect 10. Furthermore, what variation did exist could not be attributed to level of economic development or gender inequality. Within countries, sociodemographic associations generally comported with patterns found in other contexts: income, education, and being partnered were generally associated with sex life satisfaction, and for two of the four UN subregions (West Africa and East Africa), males were significantly more satisfied with their sex lives than women. The relationship with age demonstrated a curvilinear relationship, with the peak age of sexual satisfaction in the late 20s to early 30s depending on the geographic region. The age pattern was not due to health differences, but combining estimators after a seemingly unrelated regression suggests that 4-12% of the effect of income on sex life satisfaction was attributable to better health. In general, religiosity and perceived gravity of the HIV/AIDS problem in one's country were not significantly related to sexual satisfaction.

Lesbian women and household labor division: A systematic review of scholarly research from 2000 to 2015

Recent studies have begun to attend to distribution of household labor within same-gender couples compared to heterosexual couples, yet much of the available research with lesbian couples has attempted to superimpose division of household labor frameworks developed with heterosexual couples (e.g., gender role socialization, exchange bargaining theories) to fit the experiences of same-gender couples. Using two academic search databases, the present article provides a systematic review of the available 28 peer-reviewed articles published from 2000-2015 about lesbian partnerships and household labor divisions. Results indicate that lesbian couples engage in a more equal distribution of household labor than heterosexual couples, and that lesbian women often opt to eschew traditional gendered divisions of chores in favor of other factors such as quality of task or ability. The systematic review uncovered notable constraints in the demography of participants (e.g., race, socioeconomic status, geographic location) across studies. Strategies for deepening the depth and breadth of this line of work for future researchers, and implications for relationship satisfaction are also discussed.

The Production of Inequality: The Gender Division of Labor Across the Transition to Parenthood

Using longitudinal time diary and survey data from a community sample of dual-earner couples across the transition to parenthood, the authors examined change in divisions of paid and unpaid work and assessed the accuracy of survey data for time use measurement. Mothers, according to the time diaries, shouldered the majority of child care and did not decrease their paid work hours. Furthermore, the gender gap was not present prebirth but emerged postbirth with women doing more than 2 hours of additional work per day compared to an additional 40 minutes for men. Moreover, the birth of a child magnified parents' overestimations of work in the survey data, and had the authors relied only on survey data, gender work inequalities would not have been apparent. The findings have important implications for (a) the state of the gender revolution among couples well positioned to obtained balanced workloads and (b) the utility of survey data to measure parents' division of labor.

Comparison of prospective and retrospective measurements of frequency of sexual intercourse

Measurements of sexual intercourse frequency are informative for research on pregnancy, contraception, and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections; however, efficiently collecting data on this sensitive topic is complex. The purpose of this study was to determine whether retrospective recall of sexual intercourse frequency was consistent with information obtained through the use of prospective daily diary methods corresponding to the same time period in a diverse sample of women. A total of 185 women participated in a longitudinal, prospective cohort study of oral contraceptive users and 98 of these women provided complete information on sexual intercourse frequency on diaries (prospective) and postcards (retrospective). Linear mixed models were used to test for variation in response within categories of demographic and other variables. The mean number of days women had sexual intercourse per week was 1.5 days using prospective diary information versus 2.0 days when using 3-month retrospective recall (p < 0.001). Mean differences for the various sociodemographic subgroups were positive for all groups indicating that women consistently reported a higher frequency of sexual intercourse on the retrospective postcards than they recorded on their prospective diaries; however, these mean differences did not vary significantly. If confirmed in other samples, the use of retrospective methods may be adequate to accurately collect data on sexual intercourse frequency-and may be preferable. Using only retrospective measurements could decrease study costs, the burden to participants, and have a higher response rate.

Caught in a bad romance: adolescent romantic relationships and mental health

Integrating insights from cultural sociology and identity theory, I explore the mental health consequences of adolescent romantic relationship inauthenticity--incongruence between thoughts/feelings and actions within romantic contexts. Applying sequence analysis to National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data, I measure relationship inauthenticity by quantifying the extent to which the ordering of events of actual romantic relationships (e.g., holding hands, saying "I love you") diverges from the sequence of events within idealized relationship scripts among 5,316 adolescents. I then test its association with severe depression, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt. I find that romantic relationship inauthenticity is positively associated with the risk of all three markers of poor mental health, but only for girls. This study highlights the importance of gender and culture in determining how early romantic involvement influences psychological well-being.