ABSTRACT
Sexual discrepancies can be defined as partners’ differences in sexual desire, attitudes, and preferred activities (Cupach & Metts, 1995; Davies et al, 1999; Sprecher & Cate, 2004). Many romantic partners encounter sexual discrepancies (Sprecher & Cate, 2004) such as one person’s desire for more types of sexual behaviors than the partner (Hatfield et al, 1988). The small body of research on sexual discrepancies examines primarily the association between sexual discrepancies and relationship quality (e.g., sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction; Cupach & Metts, 1995; Davies et al, 1999; Purnine & Carey, 1997). The purpose of our study was to extend this line of research to examine, from the perspective of the female partners, the communication between heterosexual partners as they address sexual discrepancies – specifically, how partners avoid and manage conflicts surrounding sexual discrepancies.
