A LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF A MEASURE OF PREMARITAL SEXUAL CONFLICT* Edgar C. J. Long, Rodney M. Cate, Del A. Fehsenfeld, and Kimberly M. Williams* This article reports on the development and initial assessment of the Premarital Sexual Conflict Scale (P.ISCS) in a sample of 250 university students. Results indicated that premarital sexual conflict was negatively related to sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. Similarly, premarital sexual conflict was positively related to sex guilt, sexual conservatism, pressure to engage in sexual activity and general relationship conflict. Premarital sexual conflict at time 1 uniquely predicted relationship satisfaction at time 2, after controlling for sexual conflict, relationship satisfaction, and general conflict at time 1. Implications of the findings for those doing intervention and use of the scale in future work are discussed. Conflict is inherent in virtually all close interpersonal relationships (Coser, 1956; Gottman, 1979; Simmel, 1955). This conflict emanates from interdependence, the frequency of the interaction, and the partners' feelings that they should be able to influence each other in those relationships (Peterson, 1983). In fact, some research indicates that increased emotional intimacy is related to greater degrees of conflict in premarital dating relationships (Billingham, 1987; Braiker & Kelley, 1979). However, conflict and negative interaction before marriage can also have important consequences later in marriage (Huston, 1994; Kelly, Huston, & Cate, 1985; Markman, 1979, 1981). Premarital conflict, and the level of negativity in that interaction, predicts later marital distress and marital conflict. Consequently, it is important to attempt to better understand the nature of conflict that occurs before marriage. This study focuses upon a specific type of premarital conflict: sexual conflict. Sexual interaction prior to marriage has increased markedly over the past years for both men and women (Bell & Coughey, 1980; Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, & Michaels, 1994; Robinson & Jedlicka, 1982). This increased sexual freedom within premarital relationships provides numerous occasions for conflict between premarital partners. This conflict is especially likely given the different meanings typically ascribed to sexual intercourse by males and females (Coles & Stokes, 1985; Knox & Wilson, 1981). Many females have been socialized to believe that sex is legitimized by love, whereas many males believe that sexual interaction should not be constrained by these emotional factors (Roche, 1986). Although gender differences concerning sexual attitudes have been converging in recent years, females still have more conservative sexual attitudes than males (Sprecher, 1989; Wilson & Medora, 1990). This gender difference creates a situation where both partners may engage in strategies to either increase or decrease sexual involvement. Numerous studies (Christopher & Frandsen, 1990; Lane & GwartneyGibbs, 1985; Mosher & Anderson, 1986) have examined gender differences in influence strategies in sexual contexts. Males are more likely than females to use strategies that encourage coitus to the point of lying about their motivation for intimacy, whereas females are more likely to use strategies that avoid intercourse. Even as early as the seventh grade, girls are likely to experience forced intercourse or unwanted sexual touching from their boyfriends (Small & Kerns, 1993). By the time women reach college, 75% of them report some form of unwanted sexual pressure (Lloyd, 1991). This sexual exploitation of females, and the violence that may be involved, has been labeled the darkside of by numerous scholars (Lloyd, 1991; Makepeace, 1981; Christopher, Owens, & Stecker, 1993). Several authors have argued that sexual conflict during courtship deserves greater attention (Christopher & Cate, 1988; Christopher & Frandsen, 1990; Lane & Gwartney-Gibbs, 1985), yet little research has examined this aspect of premarital relationships. …