Mapping Partnered Sex and Solitary Masturbation: A Cluster Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: A profile composed of sociodemographic and masturbation-related variables was examined in men and women in heterosexual relationships who exhibited different patterns of partnered sex and masturbation frequency. METHODS: The study was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data composed of 1028 heterosexual adults aged 18-75 years (M = 37.08, SD = 11.95) distributed into three clusters previously identified in prior analyses of this sample: one characterized by high frequencies of both partnered sex and solitary masturbation (HighPS_HighM), another high solitary masturbation frequency (LowPS_HighM), and a third by elevated partnered sex frequency (HighPS_LowM). RESULTS: Overall, the results revealed differences in sociodemographic and masturbation-related variables among the clusters, including age of first masturbation, attitudes toward masturbation, reasons for masturbating, solitary sexual desire, subjective orgasm experience, and pornography use. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of considering masturbation-related factors in understanding sexual health within the couple context.