Branched Preferred and Current Relationship Configurations

In this study, Dr. Sofia Jawed-Wessel and co-authors investigate how branched current and preferred relationship configurations impact sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, resilience, parent self-efficacy and positive perceptions of one’s plurisexual identity. This unique contribution to literature attempts to provide important insights on preferred and current relationship configurations among plurisexual parents for future research and clinical work. The sample of this study consisted of 548 individuals who reported being in a relationship along with their current and preferred relationship structures. All participants were parents and identified as plurisexual. Majority of participants were white, women, currently monogamous, and preferred consensual non-monogamy (CNM).  

Data was collected through an online survey through targeted social media marketing and Qualtrics Panels. The survey included demographic questions and assessed current and preferred relationship structure, relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, positive plurisexual identity, parent self-efficacy, and resilience.  

This study concluded that plurisexual parents in or preferring monogamous relationships had higher levels of parenting self-efficacy than parents in or preferring CNM relationships. Results also found that parents engaging in or preferring monogamous relationships had a stronger sense of being true to their plurisexual identity, while CNM parents felt more intimate with their identity. Parents whose relationship style matched their preferences reported higher satisfaction and intimacy, while those whose preferred relationship style didn’t match their current one reported facing issues such as boring/monotonous sex lives, low sexual frequency, and sexual dissatisfaction. Relational dynamics including communication issues, lack of emotional intimacy, and perceived effort by partner also played roles in participant’s sex lives. For parents, exhaustion, lack of time, and lack of space to have sex due to having children around were reasons for less satisfactory sex lives and parenting struggles contributed to a drop in sexual frequency and satisfaction. A desire to be in CNM relationships was further reported by participants as current monogamous relationships were believed to limit their ideal sexual lives.  

The results of the study highlight the lived experiences of plurisexual parents in a traditionally hetero-and mononormative culture, where individuals, particularly parents, deviating from normative relationship orientations are substantially stigmatized. This study also highlights the strengths and benefits of consensual and ethically sound alternative approaches to parenthood and intimacy. Further research is necessary to explore the views and experiences of plurisexual parents in monogamous and CNM relationships over time.