Exploring how attachment insecurities mediate the link between sexual and partnership satisfaction in adolescents and young adults with cancer

Background and purpose: Comprehensive data on factors affecting partnership satisfaction among adolescents and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors are limited. Our study examines partnership satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and attachment insecurities, exploring how attachment-related anxiety and a...

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Main Authors: Svenja Heyne, Hannah Brock, Diana Richter, Annekathrin Sender, Jenny Rosendahl, Michael Friedrich, Kristina Geue, Anja Mehnert-Theuerkauf
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Medical Journals Sweden 2025-01-01
Series:Acta Oncologica
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Online Access:https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaoncologica/article/view/42110
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Summary:Background and purpose: Comprehensive data on factors affecting partnership satisfaction among adolescents and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors are limited. Our study examines partnership satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and attachment insecurities, exploring how attachment-related anxiety and avoidance influence the relationship between sexual and partnership satisfaction across major tumor entities in this population. Patients and methods: We utilized data from two measurement time points (t1 and t6) of the AYA-LE study, a prospective longitudinal investigation examining the temporal course and associated factors of life satisfaction and psychological distress among AYA cancer survivors. We examined the mediating effect of attachment insecurities (ECR-RD) on the relationship between sexual satisfaction (FLZ-Sex) and partnership satisfaction (PFB), while controlling for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, in a sample of N = 275 participants. Results: Higher sexual satisfaction was correlated with lower attachment-related anxiety (r = -0.51, p < 0.001) and lower attachment-related avoidance (r = -0.49, p < 0.001). Both lower attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance were correlated with higher partnership satisfaction (r = -0.64, p < 0.001 and r = -0.72, p < 0.001, respectively). Sexual satisfaction partially predicted partnership satisfaction of AYA cancer survivors through attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance while the mediating effect accounted for 75% of the total effect. Interpretation: The associations between sexual satisfaction, partnership satisfaction, and attachment highlight the need to address emotional and relational aspects in supportive care for AYA cancer survivors. There is a clear need for more targeted studies on attachment patterns, sexual satisfaction, and partnership satisfaction in this specific population to further refine and validate these approaches.
ISSN:1651-226X