Sexual decision making and object relations theory.

Abstract

The Sexual Decision-Making Inventory (SDMI) was developed to measure levels of sexual decision making based on the developmental concepts of Object Relations Theory. The inventory asks subjects to report on their thoughts and feelings at the time they decided to have sex in their most recent sexual relationship. The inventory was tested in a pilot study involving 45 male and 49 female undergraduates. A factor analysis was performed on the SDMI and six levels of sexual decision making were defined: Object Constancy, Ambivalence, Need for Merger, Need Gratification, Low Self-esteem, and Narcissistic Gratification. Endorsement of items on these subscales was related to perceptions of the relationship. In a second study involving 79 male and 135 female undergraduates, subjects completed the SDMI, the Bell Object Relations Self-report Inventory, and a questionnaire concerning perceptions of the relationship in which the sexual decision was made. Object Constancy was positively correlated to object relations, satisfaction with the relationship, and durability of the relationship; Ambivalence, Need Gratification, and Low Self-esteem were negatively correlated with object relations, satisfaction with the relationship, and durability of the relationship; Narcissistic Gratification was negatively correlated with object relations and most aspects of the relationship with interesting exceptions such as sexual satisfaction. Sex differences demonstrated that females were more likely to endorse items on the Object Constancy subscale; whereas males were more likely to endorse items on the Ambivalence, Need Gratification, and Narcissistic Gratification subscales. There were no sex differences, however, in quality of general object relations.