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Arch Sex Behav (2007) 36:357368 DOI 10.1007/s10508-006-9071-1
ORIGINAL PAPER
In the Mood for Love or Vice Versa? Exploring the Relations Among Sexual Activity, Physical Affection, Affect, and Stress in the Daily Lives of Mid-Aged Women
Mary H. Burleson Wenda R. Trevathan Michael Todd
Received: 14 September 2005 / Revised: 20 February 2006 / Accepted: 1 May 2006 / Published online: 16 November 2006
C
Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006
Abstract How do physical affection, sexual activity, mood, and stress inuence one another in the daily lives of mid-aged women? Fifty-eight women (M age, 47.6 yrs) recorded physical affection, several different sexual behaviors, stressful events, and mood ratings every morning for 36 weeks. Using multilevel modeling, we determined that physical affection or sexual behavior with a partner on one day signicantly predicted lower negative mood and stress and higher positive mood on the following day. The relation did not hold for orgasm without a partner. Additionally, positive mood on one day predicted more physical affection and sexual activity with a partner, but fewer solo orgasms the following day. Negative mood was mostly unrelated to next-day sexual activity or physical affection. Sexual orientation, living with a partner, and duration of relationship moderated some of these effects. Results support a bidirectional causal model in which dyadic sexual interaction and physical affection improve mood and reduce stress, with improved mood and reduced stress in turn increasing the likelihood of future sex and physical affection.
M. H. Burleson ([envelopeback])
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arizona State University, West Campus,4701 W. Thunderbird Rd., Phoenix, Arizona 85069-7100 e-mail: [email protected]
W. R. Trevathan Department of Sociology and Anthropology, New Mexico State University,Las Cruces, New Mexico
M. Todd Prevention Research Center, Berkeley, California
Keywords Sexual behavior . Mood . Mid-aged women . Physical affection . Daily diary
Introduction
Although conventional wisdom holds that a satisfactory sexual interaction will improve mood, little empirical evidence exists to support this assumption. Surprisingly few studies have investigated relations between sexual activity or physical intimacy and affect, and most address the issue of whether mood (or mood disorder) affects sexual desire or arousal. To our knowledge, none have asked whether sexual activity or physical affection alters affective state or perceived stress on a daily basis. The current study...