The Mediating Role of Sexual Boredom in Women’s Sexual Desire and Satisfaction

Sexual boredom in women is associated with various levels and dimensions of sexual desire, as well as lower sexual and relationship satisfaction. However, the directionality of these relationships remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether sexual boredom mediates the relationship between partner and attractive-other sexual desire and sexual and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 1155 Portuguese women in long-term monogamous relationships. Participants, aged 18-66 years (M = 31.60, SD = 5.65), were involved in cohabiting relationships of 1 year or more. Linear regression analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were conducted, revealing that sexual boredom emerged as a stronger predictor of sexual and relationship satisfaction compared to dimensions of sexual desire. Additionally, sexual boredom partially mediated the relationship between partnered sexual desire and satisfaction and fully mediated the relationship between attractive other-related sexual desire and satisfaction variables. Notably, sexual boredom explained up to one-third of sexual satisfaction (32%) and slightly less of relationship satisfaction (27%). These findings underscore the importance of addressing sexual boredom in long-term relationships to promote women’s sexual health. Furthermore, they suggest that experiencing sexual desire for attractive non-partners is not indicative of sexual and relationship dissatisfaction unless accompanied by sexual boredom.