(Dis)similarity between partners' childhood maltreatment on relationship and sexual satisfaction: Dyadic response surface analyses

Several studies have shown that childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with lower relationship and sexual satisfaction in individuals and their partners in adulthood. However, the handful of studies that considered both partners' CM histories did not account for the magnitude or direction of similarity and dissimilarity between their experiences. The present study aimed at filling these gaps by examining how both partners' (dis)similar CM levels were associated with relationship and sexual satisfaction using dyadic response surface analysis. A sample of 581 mixed gender couples completed online self-report questionnaires on CM, relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction. Results indicated that, compared with shared midlevels of CM, both men and women reported greater relationship and sexual satisfaction when they shared either higher or, especially, lower CM levels. In addition, greater dissimilarity in CM histories was associated with higher relationship and sexual satisfaction in men, regardless of which partner reported greater CM, whereas this association was not significant for women's satisfaction. These findings provide new insights and highlight the complex interplay between partners' CM histories and their associations with couple outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).