Sexual communication in Chinese heterosexual couples: the efficacy of online Sensate Focus intervention and correlations with relational and sexual outcomes

The study aimed to explore the relationships between sexual communication, the immediate consequences of sexual communication, the reasons for avoiding sexual communication, and sexual and relational outcomes (intimacy, relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and sexual function) among Chinese heterosexual couples. Additionally, it examined the effectiveness of online Sensate Focus (SF) exercises in improving sexual communication. Forty-two heterosexual couples from China were recruited, and constructs related to sexual communication and sexual and relational outcomes were assessed at pre- and post-test. The experimental group underwent a five-week, animation-based SF intervention. Results revealed that sexual communication was linked to higher event-based sexual satisfaction and better female sexual function. During-sex sexual communication (i.e. sexual self-disclosure) exhibited reciprocity and was associated with higher female relationship satisfaction. Rigid gender role beliefs surfaced as a key barrier to sexual communication, further linked to poorer sexual function and, surprisingly, better male global sexual satisfaction. Additionally, SF intervention facilitated during-sex sexual communication but reduced post-sex sexual talk. These findings underscore the importance of sexual communication in maintaining healthy intimate relationships and provide valuable insights for the development and implementation of effective sexual communication interventions in China.