Sources and Strategies for Managing Sexual Conflict in Diverse Relationships

Sexual conflict is a consequential feature of many long-term relationships. The present study investigates the sources of sexual conflict for 452 individuals in relationships of at least three months who consider their relationship to be less common or less accepted than other relationships and strategies individuals in these relationships employ for managing these conflicts. Findings suggest that the majority who described their sexual conflicts noted a discrepancy in the frequency of either sexual activity generally, or a specific sex act. Participants attributed disparate levels of sex drive or a desire for different types of sex acts to busy lives/schedules, fatigue, and not making room for intimacy. In addition, participants sometimes attributed a sex drive discrepancy to identity-specific issues like gender dysphoria or histories with intimate partner violence. A number of participants also discussed safety and infidelity as sources of conflict in their relationships. Individuals often resolved conflict by reimagining what intimacy looks like in their relationships, or scheduling time for sexual activity. Implications and avenues for future research are discussed in light of the creative problem-solving strategies employed by the sample in the present study.