Let’s talk about stress, baby: Joint problem-solving and sexual distress across the transition to parenthood
Photo by Kelly Sikkema from UnsplashBy Grace Schwenck This blog is a summary of our published article: Tutelman, P. R., Dawson, S. J., Schwenck, G. C., & Rosen, N. O. (2021). A Longitudinal Examination of Common Dyadic Coping and Sexual Distress in New Parent...
It isn’t all talk: Couple therapy results in more improvements for women who have pain during sex relative to a common medical treatment
Photo by Oziel Gómez from UnsplashBy Katrina Bouchard This post is a summary of a recently published article from the Couples and Sexual Health Lab with our close collaborators at Université de Montréal: Bergeron, S., Vaillancourt-Morel, M.-P., Corsini-Munt, S.,...
Sexual Talk in Long-Term Relationships: What’s Being Left Under the Covers?
Believe it or not, the key to keeping sex exciting and satisfying in long term relationships may be communication! We know that sexual communication (e.g., couples having a conversation about their sexual preferences at a time when they are not engaging in sexual activity) is beneficial for the relationship and sexual well-being of couples [1]. But what about the potential benefits of communication during sex? Sexual talk refers to the communication that occurs between partners exclusively during sexual activity and that is about the sexual interaction itself (i.e., expressing to one’s partner the pleasure they feel while engaging in a sexual act) [2]. Yet, sexual talk has largely been kept under the covers一until now!
Tried and True: Exploring the Best Vulvodynia Treatment Options
Photo by Dainis Graveris from UnsplashBy Brenna Bagnell This blog is a summary of our published article: Rosen, N. O., Dawson, S., Brooks, M., & Kellogg-Spadt, S. (2019). Treatment of vulvodynia: Pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. Drugs, 79,...
It’s not us, it’s parenthood: Comparing sexual well-being in new parents with control couples
Photo by Simon Berger from UnsplashBy Grace Schwenck This blog is a summary of our published article: Schwenck, G. C., Dawson, S. J., Muise, A., & Rosen, N. O. (2020). A comparison of the sexual well-being of new parents with community couples. Journal of Sexual...
Feeling down, but not to get down: Is Postpartum Depression linked with New Parents’ Sexual Function and Distress?
By Priyam Joshi
This blog is a summary of our published article: Dawson, S. J., Leonhardt, N. D., Impett, E. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2021). Associations Between Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Couples’ Sexual Function and Sexual Distress Trajectories Across the Transition to Parenthood. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
“I think she can manage the pain?”: The role of partner perceptions in women’s postpartum pain during sex
By Meghan Rossi This blog is a summary of our published article: Rossi, M. A., Maxwell, J. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2020). Biased partner perceptions of women’s pain self-efficacy for postpartum pain during intercourse: A longitudinal dyadic examination. The Journal of...
Why do men report more sexual partners than women?
By Justin Dubé Given that sex tends to be a private activity, we often rely on the “honour system” when conducting sex research: we ask people to self-report aspects of their sexual lives and trust them to be honest. This is one reason why sex researchers...
Getting the spark back: The benefits of self-expansion for couples coping with low desire
By Stephanie Raposo, PhD This blog is a summary of our published article: Raposo, S., Rosen, N. O., & Muise, A. (2020). Self-expansion is associated with greater relationship and sexual well-being for couples coping with low sexual desire. Journal of Social and...
Myth Busting: Sex After Baby
By: Erin T. Fitzpatrick There are many commonly held beliefs about what sex will (or won't) look like after the transition to parenthood. In this blog post, we will debunk of a few of these myths!MYTH: Everyone will be ready to have sex 6-weeks after giving birth....
Is it all downhill from here? Changes to new mothers’ sexual function in the year following childbirth
By Samantha Dawson, PhD This blog is a summary of our published article: Dawson, S. J., Vaillancourt-Morel, M-P., Pierce, M., & Rosen, N. O. (in press). Biopsychosocial predictors of trajectories of postpartum sexual function in first-time mothers. Health...
Managing Emotions: The Best Strategies for FSIAD Couples
By Justin Dubé This blog is a summary of our published article: Dubé, J. P., Corsini-Munt, S., Muise, A., & Rosen, N. O. (2019). Emotion regulation in couples affected by female sexual interest/arousal disorder. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(8), 2491-2506....
Why We Have Sex Matters! Sexual Motivations in Couples with Low Desire
By Emma Drudge This blog is a summary of our published article: Bockaj, A., Rosen, N. O., & Muise, A. (2019). Sexual motivation in couples coping with female sexual interest/arousal disorder: A comparison with control couples, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy,...
I hear you – but do you hear me? The Role of Depressive Symptoms and Attachment Styles in Partner Responsiveness
By Stephanie Grantham This blog is a summary of our published article: Bosisio, M., Pâquet, M., Bois, K., Rosen, N. O., & Bergeron, S. (2019). Are depressive symptoms and attachment styles associated with observed and perceived partner responsiveness in couples...
Pain and Pregnancy and Sex, Oh My!
by Meghan Rossi This blog is a summary of our published article: Rossi, M. A., Mooney, K. M., Binik, Y. M., & Rosen, N. O. (2019). A Descriptive and Longitudinal Analysis of Pain During Intercourse in Pregnancy. The Journal of Sexual Medicine....
Does sex lead to well-being?
By Heather OliveriaCouples skipping in the streets, whistling, and smelling the roses are a few of the ways that media portrays the after-effects of sex. Although exaggerated, those examples resonate with us. Despite our familiarity with images of happy people with...
My needs also matter! Why women with low sexual desire/arousal continue to have sex…
By Erin T. Fitzpatrick This blog is a summary of our published article: Hogue, J. V., Rosen, N. O., Bockaj, A., Impett, E. A., & Muise, A. (2019). Sexual communal motivation in couples coping with low sexual interest/arousal: Associations with sexual well-being...
Are new parents less stressed when they’re more sexually satisfied?
By Inês Tavares This blog is a summary of our published article: Tavares, I. M., Nobre, P. J., Schlagentweit, H., & Rosen, N. O. (2019). Sexual well-being and perceived stress in couples transitioning to parenthood: A dyadic analysis. International Journal of...
Living with a Partner in Pain
Co-authored by Indre Baltrušaityte and Kat Merwin This post is a summary of a recently published article from the CaSH Lab: Mohammadi, S., Chambers, C. T., & Rosen, N. O. (2018). Expression of pain behaviors and perceived partner responses in individuals with...
How Goals can Drive Attention to Positive (and Negative) Sexual Cues for Couples Coping with Vulvodynia
By Serena Corsini-Munt This post is a summary of Dr. Rosen’s published article: Rosen, N. O., Muise, A., Impett, E. A., Delisle, I., Baxter, M.L., & Bergeron, S. (2018). Sexual cues mediate the daily relations between interpersonal goals, pain, and wellbeing in...
Vulvodynia: Research Challenges and Treatment Recommendations
Co-authored by Lida Abdulrahman and Kat Merwin This blog is a summary of our published article: Corsini-Munt, S., Rancourt, K., Dubé, J., Rossi, M., & Rosen, N. O. (2017). Vulvodynia: A consideration of clinical and methodological research challenges and...
How is sexual health attained and maintained?
By Justin Dubé Though I’d like to think the studies I run facilitate sexual health, translating research into practice can take a loooong time (17 years!) [1]. Also, people generally want to manage their sexual health by speaking with a clinician [2, 3]. Clinicians,...
Returning to Sex: Women’s Experiences with Their Postpartum Sexuality
by Heather Oliveira Have you or your partner recently had a baby? Are you or your partner pregnant? Are you curious about how becoming a parent will change your sex life? Postpartum sex is something that many women have difficulty with; studies show that self-esteem,...
Single, but not down to mingle: The psychology behind long-term singlehood
by Meghan RossiFor many, being in a romantic relationship cultivates meaning, happiness, and a sense of belonging (Fletcher et al., 2015; Sedikides et al., 1994). For people without social connections, which would include a romantic partner, we see increased negative...
Am I digisexual?
by Sam Dawson At the most recent meeting of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (see https://sstarnet.org) Dr. Markie Twist gave a fascinating plenary on digisexuality, based on a recent article entitled: The rise of digisexuality: Therapeutic challenges and...
To post-doc or not to post-doc? A blog post about deciding to post-doc following a Clinical Psychology PhD
by Serena Corsini-Munt A quick Google search will bring up several (even dozens) of articles and blog posts tackling the decision of whether or not to embark on a post-doctoral fellowship – see the links below. But what makes this post different is my unique...
What is dyadic research, and why is it so important?
By Megan Muise As the name of our lab suggests, the majority of our research focuses on couples. We collect and analyze data from both members of the couple, which is often referred to as dyadic research. Dyadic research is important because it allows us to examine...
Couple Sex Therapy versus Group Therapy for Women with Genito-pelvic Pain
Co-authored by Elyse Burchill and Kat Merwin This post is a summary of our published article:Bergeron, S., Merwin, K. E., Dubé, J., & Rosen, N. O. (2018). Couple sex therapy versus group therapy for women with genito-pelvic pain. Current Sexual Health Reports, 10,...
Becoming Four (Or More!): Consensual Non-Monogamy and Parenthood
Photo Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-passion-paradox/201208/what-are-peoples-perceptions-open-relationships By: Meghan Rossi One of the main research programs in the Couples and Sexual Health Laboratory is exploring how new parents manage changes...
Page Turner! Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy by Hallie Lieberman
A brief book review by Kat Merwin The book: Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy Author: Hallie Lieberman, Ph.D. I like to think of myself as relatively knowledgeable about sex researchers—especially those who also write books on the topic—yet I hadn’t heard of...
Partners Experience Consequences, Too: A Comparison of the Sexual, Relational, and Psychological Adjustment of Women with Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder and Their Partners to Control Couples.
By Justin Dubé This post is a summary of a recently published article from the CaSH Lab: Rosen, N. O., Dubé, J. P., Corsini-Munt, S., & Muise, A. (2018). Partners Experience Consequences, Too: A Comparison of the Sexual, Relational, and Psychological Adjustment of...
Couples coping with PVD: Motivation to Meet a Partner’s Sexual Needs
By Sam Dawson This post is a summary of a recently published article from the CaSH Lab: Muise, A., Bergeron, S., Impett, E. A., Delisle, I., & Rosen, N. O. (2018). Communal motivation in couples coping with vulvodynia: Sexual distress mediates associations with...
Navigating Pain and Intimacy in the Postpartum Period
By Meghan Rossi Welcoming a new baby into your family is both an exciting and challenging time. For many parents it is a time of joy; however, some couples can experience unanticipated difficulties that are hard to navigate, both individually and as a couple. Pain...
What’s new and exciting in Canadian sexuality science?
by Samantha Dawson The lab just returned from another fabulous meeting of the leading national organization for sexuality science—the Canadian Sex Research Forum (CSRF). One of the best things about attending academic conferences is that you get to hear about the...
A Comparison of Goals for Having Sex in Couples with and without Vulvodynia
By Justin Dubé This post is a summary of our published articles: Dubé, J. P., Bergeron, S., Muise, A., Impett, E. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2017). A comparison of approach and avoidance sexual goals in couples with vulvodynia and community controls. The journal of...
#PostBabyHankyPanky: Sharing our Knowledge about Sexuality During the Transition to Parenthood
By: Megan Muise, Research Co-ordinator Welcoming a new baby into the family is often a time filled with joy and excitement for couples. During this time couples are also faced with many new challenges, including strain on their romantic and sexual...
The Excruciating Health Condition That Only Affects Women
Women who struggle with vulvodynia often see several doctors without getting any answers for this painful condition. Here is a story of a woman who took matters into her own hands. ...
Daily anxiety and depressive symptoms in couples coping with vulvodynia: Associations with pain, sexual functioning, and distress.
By Paige Robillard This blog is a summary of: Pâquet, M., Rosen, N. O., Steben, M., Mayrand, M. H., Santerre-Baillargeon, M., & Bergeron, S. (2018). Daily anxiety and depressive symptoms in couples coping with vulvodynia: Associations with women’s pain, women’s...
Your Thoughts Matter: Framing Your Sexual Experience
By Meghan Rossi This blog summarizes our recently published paper: Rosen, N. O., Muise, A., Impett, E. A., Delisle, I., Baxter, M.L., & Bergeron, S. (2018). Sexual cues mediate the daily relations between interpersonal goals, pain, and wellbeing in couples coping...
The Asexuality Spectrum and Relationship Negotiation
By Paige Robillard Relationship decisions can be tricky to navigate. Communication is often lauded as the key to a successful relationship, but sometimes the things you have to talk about can be hard to bring up and discuss. The hurdles couples have to face can be...
Is it me or you? Attributions for postpartum sexual concerns during the transition to motherhood
By Kaitlyn Adare This post is a summary of our paper: Vannier S. A., Adare K., & Rosen N. (2018). Is it me or you? First-time mothers’ attributions for postpartum sexual concerns are associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction in the transition to...
Does Self-Compassion Benefit Couples Coping with Vulvodynia?
By Hannah Richardson This post is a summary of: Santerre-Baillargeon, M., Rosen, N.O., Steben, M., Pâquet, M., Macabena Perez, R., & Bergeron, S. (2017). Does Self-Compassion Benefit Couples Coping with Vulvodynia? Associations with Psychological, Sexual and...
When self-worth is tied to one’s sexual and romantic relationship
By Maria Glowacka This post is a summary of our paper: Glowacka, M., Bergeron, S., Dubé, J., & Rosen, N. O. (2018). When self-worth is tied to one's sexual and romantic relationship: Associations with well-being in couples coping with genito-pelvic pain. Archives...
Sexual well being: The why might be more important than the how
By Cindy Mackie Why you're having sex might be more important than how you're having sex. These days there are magazines and online posts telling us how to improve our sex-lives with promises that increased sexual functioning = increased overall well-being. With all...
Sexual Desire Discrepancy and Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction among New Parents
By Emily Cote This post is a summary of our paper: Rosen, N. O., Bailey, K., & Muise, A. (2017). Degree and Direction of Sexual Desire Discrepancy are Linked to Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction in Couples Transitioning to Parenthood. The Journal of Sex...
Couples Coping with Genito-Pelvic Pain: Do relationship goals impact experience of pain?
By Kat Merwin This blog summarizes our recently published paper: Rosen, N.O., Dewitte, M., Merwin, K. E., & Bergeron, S. (2017). Interpersonal Goals and Well-Being in Couples Coping with Genito-Pelvic Pain. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46, 2007-2019. doi:...
Pain during vaginal sex: A current issue among young women
By Reina Stewart For many people, sex is an important part of life. But what if sex hurts? What if it keeps hurting, but you continue to do it? Is this common for young women? These questions were explored in a recent study by Elmerstig, Wijma, and Swahnberg (2013)....
Emotion is My Middle Name
By Justin Dube When I was a little punk-rock-kid I loved this song about emotion. Then, during the third year of my undergrad, I took a course on emotion, and… I hated it. At the time, emotion seemed so nebulous, while other things (like vintage road bikes and Rock ‘n...
The Prevalence of Dyspareunia and Genito-Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy
By Meghan Rossi Women experience a number of changes throughout pregnancy. One of these changes can include pain, specifically: Genito-Pelvic Pain Spontaneous or provoked pain in areas including the pelvis, vulva, perineum, vaginal opening, and inside the vagina...
Long-Distance Relationships: Just as beneficial as Proximal Relationships?
By Cindy Mackie My mother always told me to never sacrifice my schooling, a career, or an important goal of mine for a guy. But what are you supposed to do if you are in a loving relationship and an opportunity arises in a location geographically far from your...