Feasibility and Utility of Momentary Sampling of Sex Events in Young Couples

Research on couples' sexual behaviors is limited because most studies collect data from only one person, rely on retrospective recall, and lack ecological validity. This study explored the feasibility of using momentary sampling (MS) methods to collect sex event data from both members of heterosexual young adult couples. Over two weeks, 40 participants (20 couples) were asked to use a handheld computer to respond to random auditory signals each day and self-initiate a report as soon as possible after sex. Couples were randomized into two groups: (a) both partners reported after sex events, or (b) one partner reported after sex events during Week 1 and the other during Week 2 (randomized by gender). Descriptive statistics examined protocol compliance, partner agreement on whether an event occurred, condom use, and reason for sex, as well as partner involvement in reporting, comfort with reporting after sex, and study burden. Results indicated that couples were willing and able to adhere to the protocol. Partners agreed on condom use for nearly all sex events, but frequently reported different reasons for sex events. The use of MS methods to collect information about sex events within couples is a promising approach to the study of sexual behavior.