Touch is a universal nonverbal action often used by romantic partners to demonstrate affection and care for each other. Attitudes toward touch might be particularly relevant across periods of relational strain—such as the transition to parenthood—when couples face many novel stressors and shifting priorities which can interfere with their sexual and affectionate experiences. New parent couples ( N = 203) completed self-report measures online across six time-points (two prenatal). We tested whether couples’ attitudes toward touch (touch aversion, touch for affection, touch for emotion regulation) at baseline (20 weeks mid-pregnancy) predicted their frequency of sexual and affectionate behaviors from mid-pregnancy through 12-month postpartum. Both partners’ more positive attitudes toward touch (i.e., for affection and emotion regulation) and lower aversive attitudes toward touch, as measured in mid-pregnancy, predicted couples’ higher frequency and variety of sexual and affectionate behaviors at 3-month postpartum. Touch attitudes generally did not predict the degree of change in the frequency or variety of sexual or affectionate behaviors, with one exception: non-birthing parents’ more positive attitudes toward touch for emotion regulation in mid-pregnancy predicted a slower decline in couples’ affectionate behaviors across pregnancy. Findings underscore a link between new parents’ attitudes toward touch and their subsequent sexual and affectionate behaviors, particularly in the early postpartum period. New parents need to navigate novel sexual changes and a nonverbal strategy such as touch might be useful to promote intimacy and care.

中文翻译：

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通过触摸建立联系：怀孕期间对触摸的态度与夫妻在为人父母的过渡过程中的性行为和情感行为有关

触摸是一种普遍的非语言行为，浪漫的伴侣经常用它来表达对彼此的感情和关心。在关系紧张的时期（例如为人父母的过渡期），当夫妻面临许多新的压力源和转移的优先事项时，对触摸的态度可能尤其相关，这可能会干扰他们的性和情感体验。新父母夫妇 (N = 203) 在六个时间点（两个产前时间点）在线完成了自我报告测量。我们测试了夫妻在基线（怀孕中期 20 周）对触摸的态度（厌恶触摸、感情触摸、情绪调节触摸）是否可以预测他们从怀孕中期到产后 12 个月的性行为和情感行为的频率。在怀孕中期测量，双方对触摸（即感情和情绪调节）的积极态度和对触摸的厌恶态度较低，预示着夫妇在产后三个月时性行为和情感行为的频率和多样性更高。触摸态度通常不能预测性行为或情感行为的频率或种类的变化程度，但有一个例外：非生育父母在怀孕中期对情感调节的触摸更积极的态度预示着夫妻情感的下降速度较慢。整个怀孕期间的行为。研究结果强调了新父母对触摸的态度与他们随后的性行为和情感行为之间的联系，特别是在产后早期。新父母需要应对新的性变化，触摸等非语言策略可能有助于促进亲密感和关怀。