title: Self-determination and sexual experience in dating relationships.
abstract: The authors propose the Model of Self-Determined Sexual Motivation to examine sexual motivation in dating relationships using a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework. This model predicted that sexual need satisfaction would mediate the association between self-determined sexual motives and the outcome variables of psychological well-being and relational quality. Three studies tested this model. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study that investigated sexual motivation in dating relationships. Study 2 was an event-contingent interaction record study that investigated specific sexual interactions over 2 weeks. Study 3 combined event- and interval-contingent methods using a daily diary to examine the model for both partners to enable examination of actor and partner effects. Discussion section focuses on the power of examining SDT in the sexual domain.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University at Mansfield, 1760 University Drive, Mansfield, OH 44906, USA. brunell.2@osu.edu
authors.forename: Amy B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Brunell
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003380:Courtship; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: actor-partner interdependence model; relationship satisfaction; romantic relationships; self-determination theory; sexual behavior