Let's Plan a Date: The Moderating Role of Communication Behaviors in the Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Dyadic Sexual Desire.

Studies examining the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and dyadic sexual desire are scarce, although it has been suggested that IPV may hinder sexual desire. In addition, the quality of communication between partners can also contribute to sexual desire. As it remains unknown whether communication quality moderates the IPV-sexual desire link, the present study examined the associations between both partners' IPV perpetration and dyadic sexual desire, and whether both partners' communication behaviors moderate these associations. A sample of 178 couples (18-29 years old) from the general population completed self-report questionnaires on IPV and sexual desire, and positive and negative communication behaviors were coded from a video-recorded date-planning discussion. Results revealed a positive association between a perpetrator's sexual IPV (i.e., verbal insistence to engage in sex) and their own dyadic sexual desire, as well as a negative association with the partner's dyadic sexual desire. Results also showed a complex pattern of interactions between sexual IPV and communication behaviors in relation to dyadic sexual desire, with some patterns consistent with protective processes and others consistent with more negative relational dynamics. Findings encourage further examination of how IPV relates to dyadic sexual desire and the role of communication behaviors in these associations.