After the Act: After-Sex Behaviors and Their Correlates in Straight Chinese Couples

We examined after-sex behaviors and their associations with relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, intimacy, and sexual dysfunction in heterosexual Chinese couples. Forty-two couples participated in a randomized controlled trial of an online Sensate Focus intervention. They completed survey questions before and after the intervention, reporting on after-sex behaviors, relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, intimacy levels, and sexual dysfunction. The findings revealed that negative after-sex behaviors were associated with decreased relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction, particularly for women. Negative after-sex behaviors were also correlated with lower levels of intimacy for both genders studied. Additionally, women who engaged in positive after-sex behaviors reported significantly higher levels of sexual functioning across arousal, desire, and overall satisfaction. Lastly, the Sensate Focus intervention did not influence after-sex behaviors. The findings underscore the therapeutic potential of emphasizing after-sex behaviors in improving sexual functioning and intimacy. Notably, gender differences were observed, with women reporting stronger correlations to these behaviors than men.