Resumo

ROCHA, Fabricio de Andrade  e  FENSTERSEIFER, Liza. The role of sexual intercourse for couples at different stages of family life cycle. Contextos Clínic [online]. 2019, vol.12, n.2, pp. 560-583. ISSN 1983-3482.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4013/ctc.2019.122.08.

Sexuality is a complex theme, crossed by individual, family, social and cultural issues. Traditional marriage and the nuclear family undergo profound changes, which may generate new marital challenges. This study sought to understand the role that sexual intercourse play in the marriages of nine heterosexual couples, at different stages of the family life cycle. Participants were selected by convenience sampling, in Betim city, Brazil. Data collection was done through a focus group with wives and another with husbands. This data was analyzed through discursive textual analysis. The results demonstrated that participants considered intercourse an important element for marriage. Different functions were perceived for men and women: men seek pleasure and relaxation in orgasm and cherish the quantity and woman value more romanticism and intimacy, cherishing the sexual intercourse quality. The role of sex has not changed with the change of stages in the life cycle of these couples, but each phase brought relationship challenges, generating tensions and conflicts. The results indicate that therapeutic interventions with couples and future research need to consider the different roles of sex for men and women in marital relationships.

Palavras-chave : sexual intercourse; marital relations; life cycle stages.

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