The aim of the study is to determine factors that differentiate between three types of sexual behavior in two types of long-term relationships: (I) partners express passionate sexual behavior, (II) partners show abated sexual behavior, (III) the female partner suffers from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD); relationship quality is (A) high or (B) poor. As possible factors, individual and dyadic characteristics were examined.

Sixty couples will be included (age range 25 to 55 years; duration of partnership at least five years). They are allocated to the group through a pre-screening interview. HSDD was diagnosed according to criteria of ICD-10; the criteria to discriminate the remaining two groups of types of sexual behavior were defined after extensive literature research; according to these criteria, the couples assign themselves to one of these groups. Partnership quality is measured with the German version of the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (EPF). During the study, each partner is examined separately by means of various questionnaires and a structured interview concerning mechanisms that might contribute to maintaining the type of sexual behavior.

As the study is still ongoing, the presentation will give a detailed analysis of the results. Preliminary results suggest that birth of children, work-related stress, and strong need for harmony have great impact on female sexual desire.

Conclusions will have a special focus on the therapeutic implications of our findings.