Dyadic Satisfaction and Shared Affectivity Are Associated with Psycho-Sexual Functioning in Elderly Men and Women

Objectives The quality of sexual life of elderly people represents an understudied topic of sexual medicine and of psycho-sexology. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the association of specific psycho-relational variables, such as intimacy, increased affective gestures towards a partner (AGtP), daily shared activities, and dyadic satisfaction, with the psychosexual wellbeing of elderly people, expressed in terms of sexual satisfaction. Methods: A cohort of elderly people was selected from a sample of a broader study evaluating the role of sexual activity in protecting the emotional wellbeing of a population subjected to quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the presence of sexual dysfunctions, the emotional wellbeing (i.e., absence of anxiety and/or depression), and the quality of the partners’ relationships were studied. For the study’s purpose, the Sexual Health Inventory for Males (SHIM), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Orgasmometer and the Orgasmometer-F, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale were adopted. Results: A group of 124 elderly subjects (≥60) was selected for the study’s purposes. Among these, 84% were males (120/124), and 16% were females (20/124). All the subjects declared to be in a stable relationship and to be sexually active during the first lockdown period. Gender differences were found for the Dyadic Satisfaction subscale (males: 37.04 ± 6.57; females: 32.85 ± 10.04; p < 0.05) and the Orgasmometer (males: 7.64 ± 1.30; females: 6.60 ± 2.46; p < 0.01). Linear regression analysis showed the association between higher Orgasmometer scores and: (i) the absence of sexual dysfunctions (β = −1.213; SE = 0.271; p < 0.0001), (ii) higher dyadic satisfaction (β = 0.042; SE = 0.019; p < 0.05), and (iii) reduced shared activities with partner (β = −0.463; SE = 0.143; p < 0.01) and increased affective gestures towards partner (DAS measured AGtP) (β = 0.595; SE = 0.065; p < 0.0001). Post hoc analysis of ANCOVA with the Bonferroni correction method showed a significant difference in the Orgasmometer scores between subjects with and without sexual dysfunction (mean difference: 2.102; SE = 0.340; pBonf < 0.001), with healthy subjects reporting higher scores compared to dysfunctional ones. Conclusions: It is reasonable to suppose that, beyond the presence of sexual dysfunctions, the sexual health of elderly people may benefit from the quality of the relationship, and, specifically, from the presence of affective gestures towards the partner and the dyadic satisfaction. To the contrary, the quantity of time spent together, sharing specific activities, may be considered a factor worsening relational and sexual health. These data should be considered during the evaluation of sexual health among elderly people.

Dyadic Successful Aging and the Limits of Agency

With increasing life expectancy, late life has become a longer, crucial part of the individual and dyadic life course. New opportunities, tasks and decisions emerged. Successful aging norms emphasize agency and autonomy. This can be activating, but also alienating. With increasing constraints, agency is limited and ideals of autonomy become dysfunctional. This challenges also relationships. Aging, functional losses and approaching death threaten dyadic satisfaction and functionality. Potentially, successful aging norms could erode dyadic solidarity when needed the most: in late life. This mixed-methods longitudinal study combines interviews and questionnaires at three observations across five years. Its focus lies on change over time and findings at observation three. The sample consists of eight German couples (78-86 years old, 50-65 years married, high relationship satisfaction, white, urban). What does aging mean for individualized actors? How do aging couples negotiate, decide and act on aging, autonomy and death? How do successful aging norms modulate dyadic aging? Overall, actors have internalized successful aging and benefit by influencing their health positively. However, this has become ambivalent. Actors increasingly perceive their future as limited and beyond individual control. Acceptance of losses that challenge the self is difficult, autonomy ideals burdensome and death salient. As individual agency is constrained, the dyad is still a functional stronghold against aging. Yet, it has to adapt as well to – potentially differential - individual aging. Losses can and do threaten couples’ functional and emotional unity. Four patterns of self-dyad dynamics emerged and exemplify tensions between individualized and dyadic successful aging.

Exploring the Similarity of Partners’ Love Styles and Their Relationships With Marital Satisfaction: A Dyadic Approach

In this paper, we report on the findings of our exploratory research investigating how the similarity or difference of the partners’ love styles could be related to dyadic and familial satisfaction. The empirical literature outlines how love styles are differently associated with various couple dimensions. While most studies employ an individual approach, we assessed whether the similarity of the prevalent love style in each couple was associated with greater dyadic satisfaction. In our sample, comprising 146 heterosexual couples (all married or cohabitating), no such association emerged. Storge and Pragma were the most prevalent love styles; moreover, there was a similar prevalence of the similarity in these two love styles between partners. Hence, the love styles similarity does not show a direct association with marital satisfaction. To establish whether there is some relationship between these variables, it would be useful for future research to investigate the impact of further individual and relational factors and of their interaction.

The relationship between personality factors and dyadic satisfaction

The couple represents the basic unit of life perpetuation. The couple is generally defined as a couple or reunion of two people based on constant bonding or due to a momentary closeness. In both cases, however, the union must function, even if this is often difficult. Couple satisfaction is defined as the individual emotional state of being satisfied with the interactions, experiences and expectations within the couple's life. Couple satisfaction is an individual emotional state of being satisfied with the interactions, experiences and expectations within the couple's life. depending on the personality of the partners, they manage to relate better and thus to be more satisfied in the couple.

Randomized Clinical Trial Between Fluoxetine and Dapoxetine for Premature Ejaculation and Its Effect on Marital Relationship

INTRODUCTION: Premature ejaculation(PE) decreases sexual pleasure and quality of life, and both Fluoxetine and Dapoxetine were used in PE therapy. Dapoxetine is the first SSRI with a short half-life and fewer side effects, primarily designed for PE therapy. The aim is to evaluate and compare the effects of Fluoxetine and Dapoxetine on PE symptoms and marital satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 44 participants aged between 18 and 64 with a PEDT score of ≥9 from Hospital USM's Primary-Care-Clinic, Kelantan Malaysia were selected and randomized into two groups: Fluoxetine(FG) and Dapoxetine Group(DG), and administered for 8 weeks with either regular Fluoxetine(20mg) or Dapoxetine (30mg) on-demand at least once a week. Premature Ejaculation Diagnostics Tool(PEDT) score was used to assess PE symptoms and Dyadic Satisfaction-Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DS-DAS) used to evaluate marital satisfaction at baseline and the 8th week. RESULT: 22 and 21 participants in FG and DG completed the study. For both groups, PEDT scores decreased substantially [from 11.41 to 5.45(P< 0.001) among FG, from 13.43 to 3.10(P<0.001) among DG]. After adjustment of the baseline PEDT score, PEDT scores in DG(6.03 vs 2.49, P><0.001) were lower at the 8th week. All groups showed significantly improved DS-DAS scores [from 34.50 to 40.68(P><0.001) in FG, from 36.57 to 44.33(P><0.001) in DG]. No marked difference in DS-DAS was scored after adjustment of the baseline DS-DAS score(41.13 vs 43.86, P=0.055) at the end of the assessment. CONCLUSION: Treatment of PE with either Fluoxetine or Dapoxetine decreases PE symptoms and increases marital satisfaction. ><0.001) among DG]. After adjustment of the baseline PEDT score, PEDT scores in DG (6.03 vs 2.49, P< 0.001) were lower at the 8th week. All groups showed significantly improved DS-DAS scores [from 34.50 to 40.68(P< 0.001) in FG, from 36.57 to 44.33(P< 0.001) in DG]. No marked difference in DS-DAS was scored after adjustment of the baseline DS-DAS score (41.13 vs 43.86, P=0.055) at the end of the assessment. CONCLUSION: Treatment of PE with either Fluoxetine or Dapoxetine decreases PE symptoms and increases marital satisfaction.

Self-Silencing and Marital Adjustment in Women With and Without Depression

This study compared women with and without depression on self-silencing, marital adjustment, and depression. The study also investigated the predictive role of self-silencing and marital adjustment for depression. Two samples were recruited from various Psychiatric units and General Medical wards of different hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan including 80 women diagnosed with depression (Mage= 37.16 years, SD = 8.5) and 80 women without depression (Mage= 36.64 years, SD = 7.7). Using Urdu versions of Silencing the Self Scale (Jack & Dill, 1991), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976) and DSM-5 Cross-cutting Measure for Depression and Severity Checklist for Depression (American Psychological Association, 2013), the results revealed that self-silencing was significantly higher in women with depression than the other group while marital adjustment was better in women without depression than the women with depression. Depression was positively correlated with self-silencing and negatively correlated with marital adjustment for the sample of women with depression. Regression analysis revealed Externalized Self-Perception subscale of Silencing the Self Scale appeared to be a positive predictor while Dyadic Satisfaction and Dyadic Cohesion subscales of Dyadic Adjustment were negative predictors of depression. The study implied that psychologists especially couple/marriage counselors may need to focus on the communication patterns of spouses for decreased chances of depression.

Factor Structure of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale

The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) is one of the most widely used instruments for measuring relationship quality. Considering the discrepancies across studies regarding the relationship of the underlying constructs of the DAS, the aim of the present study was to examine the factor structure of the scale by applying bifactor models using confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) approaches. The sample consisted of 483 couples recruited in Hungary. The analysis revealed that the bifactor-ESEM yielded the best fit to the data (CFI = .90, RMSEA = .05, WRMR = .88). Further, strict invariance between the sexes was observed for this model. Omega hierarchical coefficients indicated outstanding reliability for the general factor (.86), acceptable estimates for the Dyadic Consensus (.60) and Cohesion (.57) subdomains, but poor reliability for the Dyadic Satisfaction (.22) and Affectional Expression (.36) factors; suggesting that the individual interpretation of these latter two subconstructs must be made with caution.

Attachment Insecurities and Marital Satisfaction

This study identifies the relationship between attachment insecurities; Attachment Avoidance and Attachment Anxiety, and Marital Satisfaction; Dyadic Cohesion, Dyadic Satisfaction, Dyadic Consensus, and Dyadic Affectional Expression among married couples. A correlational research design was adopted in this study to address the objectives of the research. Seventy respondents among married couples in West Peninsular of Malaysia were selected to participate in this research. Two sets of questionnaires were developed and reviewed by two expert panels before piloting and distributing to the participants. The structure and content of the questionnaires were specific to main two areas; Experience in Close Relationship (ECR) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). The data was collected and analysed using SPSS descriptive statistic and Pearson correlation. The findings indicated that there was a significant relationship between attachment insecurities and marital satisfaction. Furthermore, it is recommended based on the results that community counsellors’ conduct group counselling sessions to facilitate married couples’ understanding of attachment insecurities which will help to enhance the satisfaction in their marital relationships. It is also recommended based on the work performed, limitations and findings in this study that further research is conducted to conduct a similar research program, with a broader and more substantial population size covering multiple communities, again with a specific focus on married couples and to improve their marital satisfaction with their relationships.