Childhood maltreatment, sexual desire and sexual distress in couples: the role of touch aversion

Background: Childhood maltreatment (CM), experienced by about 40 % of adults, is associated with romantic relationship challenges like instability, sexual dissatisfaction, and dysfunction. While CM has been linked to lower sexual desire and higher distress, its impact within couples and underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. Touch aversion, where partner touch feels unpleasant, may explain how CM relates to lower sexual desire and higher sexual distress. Objective: This study explores the mediating role of touch aversion in the associations between CM, sexual desire and sexual distress in couples. Methods: A sample of 363 adult couples completed self-reported online questionnaires on CM, partner-focused sexual desire, sexual distress and touch aversion. Results: A person's CM is indirectly associated with their own lower sexual desire (b = - 0.07, 95 % bootstrap CI = [-0.08, -0.02]), their partner's higher sexual desire (b = 0.01, 95 % bootstrap CI = [0.000, 0.02]), and both their own (b = 0.06, 95 % bootstrap CI = [0.01, 0.03]) and their partner's higher sexual distress (b = 0.02, 95 % bootstrap CI = [0.003, 0.013]) through their own higher touch aversion. Conclusions: These findings provide theoretical support for the role of touch aversion in the sexual dynamics of couples reporting CM, underscoring the interdependent nature of partners' sexual desire and distress. Clinically, understanding how individuals with a CM history respond to touch may highlight a modifiable psychological process that could help couples navigate their sexual desire and distress.