Investigating the Effect of Sexual Satisfaction on Marital Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation

Abstract

Background and Objective: Marital satisfaction serves as an indicator of the stability and effectiveness of the marital system and is one of the most critical determinants of a healthy family structure. The present study aims to investigate the effect of sexual satisfaction on marital satisfaction through the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation. Materials and Methods: This study is descriptive-correlational research with a cross-sectional design, employing structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all couples in Tehran who visited Farhangsara centers for marriage and family counseling between July and October 2023. The sample included 169 men and women selected through multi-stage cluster random sampling. The research instruments included the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction (EMS) Scale, the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 and Smart PLS 4 software with the structural equation modeling method, considering a significance level of 0.05. Findings: The results showed that sexual satisfaction had a significant positive effect on marital satisfaction through the mediating variable of positive refocusing (β=0.282, P=0.000). Conversely, sexual satisfaction had a significant negative effect on marital satisfaction through the mediating variables of catastrophizing (β=-0.117, P=0.004) and rumination (β=-0.146, P=0.021). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the influence of cognitive emotion regulation on marital satisfaction. Furthermore, sexual satisfaction impacts cognitive emotion regulation, which, in turn, affects marital satisfaction through its components.