SynthesisJournal of sex research2019
Couples' Sexual Communication and Dimensions of Sexual Function: A Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of sex research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 37 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
37 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 111 citations in OpenAlex.
- Unmet need for family planning among reproductive-age women living with HIV in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC women's health · 2026Pooled it
- The Effect of Sexual Counseling Based on PLISSIT and EX-PLISSIT Models on Sexual Function, Satisfaction, and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Archives of sexual behavior · 2024Pooled it
- Dimensions of couples' sexual communication, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction: A meta-analysis.Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) · 2022Pooled it
- Educational intervention on sexual satisfaction of Iranian men: application of the information, motivation and behavioral skills model.Frontiers in public health · 2025Trial
- Validation of the Multidimensional Sexual Communication Questionnaires: A Framework for Assessing Content and Process Domains.Archives of sexual behavior · 2026Article
- Talking About Sex: Sexual Communication in the Context of Sexual Revictimization.Journal of child sexual abuse · 2026Article
- Type D personality, sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, and risky sexual behaviors among Polish university students: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Associations of anxiety and depression with sexual health among infertility patients: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
- The effect of counseling based on sexual health model on sexual function and dysfunctional sexual beliefs in primigravida women: A randomized controlled trial.Journal of education and health promotion · 2026Article
- Sexual communication patterns of heterosexual-identified men who have sex with men.Journal of social and personal relationships · 2025Article
- Sexual Communication Links Insecure Adult Attachment With Sexual Satisfaction Among U.S. College Students.Couple & family psychology · 2025Article
- A Preliminary Investigation Into the Moderating Effects of Relationship Factors on Improvements in Sexual Desire and Distress Following Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder.Archives of sexual behavior · 2025Article
- After the Shock: Impact of Ectopic Pregnancy on Subsequent Fertility and Parenthood.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- An Experimental Investigation of Sexual Scripts by Partner Gender: Anticipated Clitoral Stimulation and Partner Orgasm Pursuit Shape Women's Orgasm Expectations.Archives of sexual behavior · 2025Article
- The effects of sexuality education program on sexual quality of life among patients following coronary artery bypass graft.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Feeling Love and Lust: An Examination of Individualistic and Mutualistic Erotic Talk.Archives of sexual behavior · 2025Article
- The integrative health status of women with uterine fibroids wishing to maintain fertility: a cross-sectional study based on Levine's conservation model.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea) · 2025Article
- Analysis of the psychometric evidence of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) & measurement invariance across relationship status & age generations in a Chilean sample.Sexual medicine · 2025Article
- Psychologists should study basic social cognition processes within the context of sexual interactions.Communications psychology · 2024Review
- Unveiling intimacy: sexual dysfunction and marital satisfaction among Pakistani males in Karachi.Sexual medicine · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Research and clinical data have shown that couples with sexual problems report a lack of sexual communication. However, no published meta-analyses have evaluated the relationship between sexual communication and sexual function. This meta-analysis examines the correlation between couples' sexual communication and dimension of sexual function across 48 studies. Sexual communication was positively associated with sexual desire (r = .16), sexual arousal (r = .21), lubrication (r = .17), orgasm (r = .23), erectile function (r = .19), less pain (r = .12), and overall sexual function (r = .35). The effect sizes for sexual desire (r = .21; r = .12) and orgasm (r = .26; r = .16) were higher for women than for men. For overall sexual function, studies with married participants (r = .47) had a larger effect size than studies with participants with multiple relationship types (r = .31) or than studies with dating participants (r = .11). Effect sizes were larger for studies conducted outside of the United States (r = .39) compared to studies conducted in the United States (r = .12). We discuss the importance of addressing the relationship between sexual communication and sexual function, as well as future directions for research in this area.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.