Kristen P Mark

University of Minnesota | UMN · Family Medicine & Community Health

Background Research has shown that negative sexual attitudes are associated with lower levels of sexual functioning among men and women, however, little is known about how attitudes about mothers as sexual beings are associated with sexual functioning for parents. Aim The aim of the current study was to examine how attitudes toward mothers as sexu...

Background There has been a great deal of public speculation regarding a surge in erectile dysfunction (ED) in younger men despite data consistently indicating that the ED prevalence rates increase with age. Aim In this study we sought to assess the prevalence and risk of experiencing ED in a nationally representative sample of men in the United S...

Affectionate touch (e.g. hugging, handholding) is an essential component of many intimate relationships and is a primary contributor to overall relationship satisfaction as well as sexual satisfaction. Affectionate touch is understood to be a form of non-verbal communication in which the giver is expressing positive feelings toward the receiver. He...

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV), nonpartner sexual violence (SV), child sexual and physical abuse, and neglect have detrimental impacts on women's reproductive and sexual health. More empirical studies are needed to investigate the negative impacts of lifetime violence, including physical or sexual child abuse, nonpartner SV, physical,...

Sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts (SOGICE) remains a threat to LGBTQ + young people throughout many parts of the USA, increasing risks for many mental health problems, including suicidal behaviors. Little research, though, has examined the strategies activists use to ban licensed professionals (e.g., social workers) from practic...

Sexual trauma is common. Consequences of sexual trauma can include deterioration of mental and physical health and it can also affect future romantic and sexual relationships. Previous studies have identified common healthy and destructive coping mechanisms to recover after experiencing sexual trauma, but few studies have investigated useful strate...

Emotion dysregulation is an associated feature of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), now recognized by the World Health Organization. Previous studies have identified associations between trait emotion dysregulation and CSBD. Given that difficulties with emotion regulation (DERS) is comprised of several facets (e.g., difficulty with impuls...

Background & Aim: Providing adolescents with information to understand their sexual health is critical to promote healthy sexual development, reducing the negative consequences of risky sexual behaviors, and creating a foundation for healthy adulthood. This study aimed to identify the recent empirical evidence on new methodologies for improved sexu...

Purpose of Review This paper summarizes the current research on the impact of abstinence-only sex education programs on LGBTQ+ adolescent health in the USA. We also seek to explore the current barriers to implementing comprehensive sex education, as well as discuss the future of LGBTQ+ adolescent health by outlining crucial components of LGBTQ+-inc...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) causes substantial physical and psychological trauma. Restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdowns and movement restrictions, may exacerbate IPV risk and reduce access to IPV support services. This cross-sectional study examines IPV during COVID-19 restrictions in 30 countries fro...

Societal messages about mothers indicate an incompatibility between motherhood and sexuality and women report not feeling like sexual beings after transitioning into parenthood. Research shows that negative sexual attitudes are associated with worse sexual function, indicating that negative attitudes toward mothers as sexual beings may negatively i...

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) adolescents, defined as individuals whose gender identity does not align with sex assigned at birth, are at higher risk for mental and physical health complications and disparities compared to cisgender adolescents.1 TGNC individuals report negative healthcare experiences which can lead to avoidance of fu...

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting social distancing measures have caused widespread social and economic disruptions, resulting in spikes in unemployment and financial instability, along with drastic changes to people's ability to feel socially connected. Many of the changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are risk factors for depressive...

Recent research has focused on the connection between romantic love and sexual desire from psychological, neurological, and sexual health perspectives. However, studies examining this connection are varied, often are limited to heterosexual reports and rarely include women’s lived experiences. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine perspecti...

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting social distancing measures have caused widespread social and economic disruptions, resulting in spikes in unemployment and financial instability, along with drastic changes to people's ability to feel socially connected. Many of the changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are risk factors for depressive...

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other gender and sexual minority (LGBTQ+) individuals have a long history of mobilizing to raise awareness and initiate social and political change for LGBTQ+ related issues. The present study explored how grassroots activism impacted resilience among LGBTQ+ people. In-depth and semi-structured interv...

Background There is limited evidence to date about changes to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial wave of COVID-19 disease. To address this gap, our team organized a multi-country, cross-sectional online survey as part of a global consortium. Methods Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Sampling m...

Sexual satisfaction has been robustly associated with relationship and individual well-being. Previous studies have found several individual (e.g., gender, self-esteem, and attachment) and relational (e.g., relationship satisfaction, relationship length, and sexual desire) factors that predict sexual satisfaction. The aim of the present study was t...

Communication is an important component of many healthy sexual and romantic relationships. Positive communication strategies including expressing fondness and affection, exchanging compliments, and disclosing information about oneself with a partner are associated with relationship and sexual satisfaction, but less is known about its association to...

The study aimed to understand how women who experienced sexual trauma but are now in a healthy relationship perceive their partners' responses to their disclosure of sexual trauma. Forty-one women completed an in-depth semi-structured phone interview. Responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, identifying two overarching themes and...

Background: To better understand sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial COVID-19 wave, we organized a multi-country cross-sectional survey. Methods: Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Primary outcomes included sexual behaviors, partner violence, and SRH service utilization, and we compared three mon...

Infidelity can be a disruptive event in a romantic relationship with a devastating impact on both partners’ well-being. Thus, there are benefits to identifying factors that can explain or predict infidelity, but prior research has not utilized methods that would provide the relative importance of each predictor. We used a machine learning algorithm...

Background Shelter-in-place and related COVID-19 physical distancing measures may influence the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). The current study aims to (1) describe perceived changes in IPV experienced during and prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, (2) identify social correlates of IPV. Methods The International Sexual Health and REproducti...

Background: Low sexual desire is the most common sexual problem reported with 34% of women and 15% of men reporting lack of desire for at least 3 months in a 12-month period. Sexual desire has previously been associated with both relationship and individual well-being highlighting the importance of understanding factors that contribute to sexual d...

Previous research has found that sexual desire ebbs and flows over time within and across relationships, leading to instances of desire discrepancy. The purpose of the present study was to understand factors that may contribute to desire and desire discrepancy and examine differences and similarities across women from diverse sexual identity groups...

Infidelity is a common occurrence in relationships and can have a devastating impact on both partners’ well-being. A large body of literature have attempted to factors that can explain or predict infidelity but have been unable to estimate the relative importance of each predictor. We used a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a type of inte...

Previous studies have found a number of individual, relational, and societal factors that are associated with sexual desire. However, no studies to date have examined which of these variables are the most predictive of sexual desire. We used a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a type of interpretable highly non-linear decision tree), to pr...

Previous studies have found a number of different factors that are associated with sexual satisfaction but have been unable to estimate the relative importance of each predictor. We used a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a type of interpretable highly non-linear decision tree), to predict sexual satisfaction across two samples (total N =...

While sexual frequency and satisfaction are strong contributors to the quality and longevity of romantic relationships and overall well-being, mismatches in sexual desire between partners are common and have been linked with poorer satisfaction. Previous findings linking mismatches in desire with poorer relationship and sexual outcomes have typical...

Recreational sex is a popular form of leisure that has been redefined by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. “Social distancing” rules have imposed limits on sex for leisure while also creating new opportunities. We discuss results from an online survey of 1,559 adults who were asked about the pandemic’s impact on their intimate lives. While nearl...

In couple’s therapy, secrets between the couple often arise, and couple’s therapists must navigate a balance between their ethical and therapeutic responsibilities. This paper provides a scoping review of the literature on how couple’s therapists handle secrets in the context of couple’s therapy and discusses the ethical and clinical considerations...

Sexual consent is a crucial component of any healthy sexual relationship. The current study aimed to examine the extent to which women who have previously experienced sexual trauma but are now in a healthy relationship understand and navigate consent and feel empowered to voice their needs and wants in their relationship. These women are uniquely p...

Sexual desire discrepancy, when one member of a couple experiences more or less sexual desire relative to their partner, is among the main reasons for couples to seek therapy. A great deal of prior research has examined the complexity of sexual desire and the role of sexual desire discrepancy in long-term relationships, but little research has spec...

Despite advances in research into minority sexual identities, bisexual identity research has been limited. Studies conducted to date suggest that bisexuality is often perceived as a ‘transitional’ identity and bisexual individuals in relationships are often perceived to be either straight, lesbian, or gay based on the gender of their relationship p...

Romantic love and sexual desire have often been seen as two distinct constructs and studied separately. However, in most romantic relationships love, desire, and sex are intertwined. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether daily feelings of love and desire influence engagement in and enjoyment of sexual activity. Ninety mixed-sex co...

Sexual desire discrepancy, when one member of a couple experiences more or less sexual desire relative to their partner, is among the main reasons for couples to seek therapy. A great deal of prior research has examined the complexity of sexual desire and the role of sexual desire discrepancy in long-term relationships, but little research has spec...

Introduction: Sexual activity is an important aspect of most romantic relationships. However, many couples report declines in sexual activity over time and report many reasons for not engaging in sexual activity on a daily basis. Aim: To investigate the reasons for not engaging in sexual activity in couples over a month and whether these reasons...

The first national study of body image was reported four decades ago in the article The Happy American Body (Berscheid et al., 1973). To provide a modern follow-up to this study, we used two Internet panel surveys of U.S. adults to examine feelings about appearance (Survey 1: Married N = 1095; Single N = 5481) and weight, appearance, body, and musc...

Parents in the USA struggle to maintain their sexual and relational health over time. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of positive communication and partner appraisals on sexual and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 93 mixed sex couples (N = 186) with children living in the home on a full-time basis. Results indicated that f...

Sexual desire contributes to overall sexual and relational health among long-term romantic partnerships. However, little research has examined the nuances of partner-level sexual desire and behavior on a daily level, despite evidence that it ebbs and flows and is more of a state than a static characteristic. Additionally, daily sexual behavior and...

Sexual desire discrepancy is one of the most frequently reported sexual concerns for individuals and couples and has been shown to be negatively associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire has increasingly been examined as a state-like construct that ebbs and flows, but little is known about whether there are patterns in the...

Healthy sexual development is a crucial part of human development. Development of sexual values can come from a variety of sources including education, media, and relationships. The present study examined similarities and differences in the sources of sexual values across orientation groups and gender and their impact on sexual satisfaction and des...

Sexual desire discrepancy and low sexual desire are two of the most frequently reported sexual concerns for individuals and couples and both have been shown to be negatively associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire has increasingly been examined as a state like construct that ebbs and flows, but little is known about whet...

Research has demonstrated a strong link between relationship and sexual satisfaction in the context of romantic relationships. However, little research has examined this in the context of a dyadic longitudinal sample, where both partner and actor effects are considered over time. The current study aimed to assess directional fit of the link between...

The most universally experienced sexual response is sexual desire. Though research on this topic has increased in recent years, low and high desire are still problematized in clinical settings and the broader culture. However, despite knowledge that sexual desire ebbs and flows both within and between individuals, and that problems with sexual desi...

Women’s sexual desire is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon. According to the biopsychosocial model of female sexual function, a comprehensive understanding of women’s sexuality requires awareness of the presence of and interaction between biological, psychological, interpersonal, and sociocultural factors. Other sexuality scholars in the field hav...

The Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI; Spector, Carey, & Steinberg, 1996) is one of the most popular scales used to measure dyadic and solitary sexual desire. Research on sexual desire has primarily focused on heterosexual cisgender experiences, and the SDI has not been validated in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or queer (LGBTQ) populations. To address...

Research has indicated that adult romantic attachment is influential and important to sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire, although not a direct focus of attachment literature, is highly related to sexual and relationship satisfaction, suggesting it may also be impacted by attachment style in romantic couples. However, the research...

Background: Despite known prevention and screening efforts, there are higher invasive cervical cancer rates in Appalachia than in other areas of the United States and higher mortality rates in the Appalachian region of Kentucky compared to Appalachian regions of other states. Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the asso...

Background: Despite the adverse effects that treatment for colorectal cancer can have on patients' quality of life and, in particular, their intimate relationships, very little research has been conducted on the psychosocial adjustment for both patients and their partners/spouses. Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to examine dyad...

Objectives This study aimed to examine discrepancies between self-report methods and methodological issues related to sexual risk taking. We examined sexual behaviour assessed via 3-month electronic recall and by daily electronic reporting among a large cohort of patients attending STI clinics. Methods STI clinic attenders (N= 628) aged 15 to 60 y...

The Fifty Shades book series is immensely popular, highly sexually explicit, and may offer an opportunity for sexual health education among readers. Past research has examined some of the messaging in the series from a variety of frameworks, but has not examined messages specific to sexual and reproductive health. Utilizing thematic analysis, the c...

Promescent is a lidocaine-based ejaculation delaying spray that absorbs into the skin of the penis prior to sexual activity. This article aimed to evaluate the effect of Promescent on the experience of orgasm, ejaculatory latency time and quality of sexual experience (QSE). Additionally, we assessed ease of application of Promescent and the extent...

Introduction: Research investigating the impact of contraceptive use on sexual desire has produced mixed results. This scholarship also has had inconsistent methodology, with some studies not separating contraceptive types and others lacking non-hormonal comparison groups. Relationship context of contraceptive use and sexual behavior also have not...

Condoms are not used consistently among sexually active college students, indicating a need to understand condom acquisition patterns. This study describes purchased and free acquisition of condoms, factors influencing purchased condom acquisition, and condom-associated embarrassment among college students. A random sample of students at a public u...

Sexual desire discrepancy is a mismatch between an individual and his or her partner’s level of sexual desire. Due to the number of factors that influence the ebb and flow of individual sexual desire, desire discrepancy is a common experience at one time or another in long-term romantic relationships. Although this is a common experience, the resea...

Despite general perceptions of committed romantic relationships as the most satisfying context with which to engage in sexual activity, acceptance of casual sexual contexts has increased in recent years. Yet little research has examined sexual and emotional satisfaction outside of the committed relationship context. Further, most satisfaction resea...

The purpose of this paper is to explore women's experiences with attractions and feelings for people outside their primary romantic relationship. In an anonymous Internet-based survey, 160 women answered open-ended questions about crushes. Women had varied experiences with, and diverse strategies for, managing crushes. The majority of women reporte...

Introduction: Over the past two decades, sexual desire and desire discrepancy have become more frequently studied as have potential pharmaceutical interventions to treat low sexual desire. However, the complexities of sexual desire-including what exactly is desired-remain poorly understood. Aims: To understand the object of men's and women's sex...

Bisexuality researchers have explored various aspects of bisexual (" bi ") commitment, including how bi-identified individuals negotiate nonmonogamous relationships, relationship stability in couples with 1 bi-identified and 1 straight-identified partner, and patterns of commitment across the life cycle. However, no research to date has quantitativ...

IntroductionSexual desire discrepancy is commonly reported by couples in long-term romantic relationships. Given the idiosyncratic nature of desire, and the lack of a “one size fits all” model approach to address desire concerns, it is useful to understand more about the range of ways that women and their partners modulate sexual desire.AimThis stu...

Recent research has found associations between sexual desire, desire discrepancy, and satisfaction outcomes in individuals and couples on a broad level. The present study aimed to extend these findings to the event level through examining daily experiences of sexual desire, sexual desire discrepancy, and quality of the sexual experience in a sample...

This study was designed to systematically compare and contrast the psychometric properties of three scales developed to measure sexual satisfaction and a single-item measure of sexual satisfaction. The Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS), Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction (GMSEX), and the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale-Short (NSSS-S) were compare...

Previous research has consistently found that attraction is important in the formation of relationships though research on attraction in long-term relationships is less well understood. This article examined the predictive value of self-reported attraction to partner and change in attraction to partner on sexual and relationship satisfaction in 176...

The associations between sexual compatibility and sexual and relationship satisfaction were examined in a sample of 133 college-age heterosexual couples. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between two types of sexual compatibility (actual sexual compatibility and perceived sexual compatibility) and sexual and...

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences and other demographic correlates of condom fit and feel problems among a diverse sample of adult condom users and to examine men's and women's perceptions and experiences with condom fit and feel problems. Participants were recruited from an electronic mailing list. The analytic sample...

Sexual desire has been shown to be positively related to sexual and relationship satisfaction. Sexual desire discrepancy has received relatively little empirical attention in the context of dyads, though research shows that larger discrepancies in desire may be associated with lower satisfaction outcomes. The relative importance of sexual desire an...

Little is known about the characteristics of sexual events during which individuals choose to use lubricant with condoms. The aims of this article were to evaluate the determinants of adding lubricant to condoms during baseline and at the event level, to assess the event-level variables' influence on adding lubricants to condoms, and to assess the...

The authors examined desire discrepancy and its effect on sexual and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 133 heterosexual couples attending a midsize university. Couples were required to be in a relationship for at least 1 year (M = 4.32 years, SD = 3.13 years); 23.7% of the couples were cohabitating. Hierarchical multiple regression results i...

This study aimed to examine in a sample of college-age heterosexual couples the relations between (a) relationship and sexual satisfaction and (b) sexual and nonsexual communication. The authors tested a mediation model whereby couples' relationship satisfaction was hypothesized to predict couples' sexual satisfaction by way of sexual and nonsexual...

BACKGROUND: Scientific interest in the factors related to sexual satisfaction is prolific, perhaps due to the persistent positive relationship between sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. Among these factors, sexual desire receives more attention than any other aspect of human sexuality and desire discrepancy within an intimate relati...