Exploring Intimate Dynamics in Same-Sex Couples: The Role of the Subjective Orgasm Experience in Relationship Satisfaction

The subjective orgasm experience (SOE) is conceptualized as the evaluation of orgasm from a psychological approach. There are a few precedents regarding the association of this dimension of sexuality with nonsexual aspects, such as relationship satisfaction. This study involved 110 Spanish same-sex couples (53 male and 57 female), ages ranging from 18 to 54 years, and an average relationship duration of 42.82 months. Most participants reported exclusively homosexual sexual practices, with some engaging in varying degrees of bisexual contact. The study analyzed the dyadic effects of SOE dimensions (i.e., affective, sensory, intimacy, and rewards) on relationship satisfaction and the extent to which intradyadic discrepancies in SOE dimensions explain the variance in relationship satisfaction. In male couples, relationship satisfaction was positively explained by the individual's affective dimension and negatively explained by the partner's intimacy dimension. In female couples, it was positively explained by the partner's rewards dimension. The analysis of discrepancies revealed a decrease in relationship satisfaction due to intradyadic discrepancies in the affective and intimacy dimensions, but only in male couples. Our findings emphasize the need to consider how the perception of orgasm may influence satisfaction with relationship quality and the valuation of bonding. La experiencia subjetiva del orgasmo (ESO) se conceptualiza como la evaluaci & oacute;n del orgasmo desde un punto de vista psicol & oacute;gico. Apenas existen precedentes de la asociaci & oacute;n de esta dimensi & oacute;n de la sexualidad con aspectos no sexuales, como la satisfacci & oacute;n con la relaci & oacute;n de pareja. En este estudio participaron 110 parejas espa & ntilde;olas del mismo sexo (53 de hombres y 57 de mujeres) con un rango de edad de 18 a 54 a & ntilde;os y una duraci & oacute;n promedio de la relaci & oacute;n de 42,82 meses. La mayor & iacute;a de los participantes declararon pr & aacute;cticas sexuales exclusivamente homosexuales, mientras que algunos mantuvieron diversos grados de contacto bisexual. El estudio analiz & oacute; los efectos di & aacute;dicos de las dimensiones de la ESO (i.e., afectiva, sensorial, intimidad y recompensa) sobre la satisfacci & oacute;n con la relaci & oacute;n de pareja y el grado en que las discrepancias intradi & aacute;dicas en las dimensiones de la ESO explican la varianza de la satisfacci & oacute;n con la relaci & oacute;n. En parejas de hombres, la satisfacci & oacute;n con la relaci & oacute;n se explic & oacute;, en sentido positivo, por la dimensi & oacute;n afectiva propia y, en sentido negativo, por la dimensi & oacute;n intimidad de la pareja. En parejas de mujeres se explic & oacute; positivamente por la dimensi & oacute;n recompensa de la pareja. El an & aacute;lisis de las discrepancias revel & oacute; una disminuci & oacute;n de la satisfacci & oacute;n con la relaci & oacute;n producida por la disonancia en las dimensiones afectiva e intimidad, & uacute;nicamente en parejas de hombres. Nuestros hallazgos subrayan la importancia de considerar c & oacute;mo la percepci & oacute;n del orgasmo puede influir en la satisfacci & oacute;n con la calidad de la relaci & oacute;n y la valoraci & oacute;n del v & iacute;nculo.