biostudies-literatureChai HWEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentNICHD NIH HHSNIA NIH HHSNational Institute on Aging261-273https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9960013biostudies-literatureUnknown63(2)<h4>Background and objectives</h4>Within relationships, sexual motives and stress are independent determinants of psychological health, with notable gendered patterns. However, previous research largely focuses on young adults and different-sex couples. Both sexual motives and levels of stress may be uniquely important to psychological health in midlife, and in potentially different ways for same-sex and different-sex couples. This study examined how the associations between sexual motives, stress, and depressive symptoms differ for midlife men and women in same-sex and different-sex marriages.<h4>Research design and methods</h4>Using dyadic data from same-sex and different-sex midlife married couples (N = 830 individuals; 415 couples), we examined the associations of intrinsic (e.g., sex The GerontologistSexual Motives, Stress, and Depressive Symptoms Among Midlife Different-Sex and Same-Sex Couples.PMC9960013R01AG076057P30AG066614P2C HD042849P30 AG066614P2CHD042849Chai HWMernitz SEUmberson DJfalseSexual Motives, Stress, and Depressive Symptoms Among Midlife Different-Sex and Same-Sex Couples.<h4>Background and objectives</h4>Within relationships, sexual motives and stress are independent determinants of psychological health, with notable gendered patterns. However, previous research largely focuses on young adults and different-sex couples. Both sexual motives and levels of stress may be uniquely important to psychological health in midlife, and in potentially different ways for same-sex and different-sex couples. This study examined how the associations between sexual motives, stress, and depressive symptoms differ for midlife men and women in same-sex and different-sex marriages.<h4>Research design and methods</h4>Using dyadic data from same-sex and different-sex midlife married couples (N = 830 individuals; 415 couples), we examined the associations of intrinsic (e.g., sex 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Feb2025-04-22T20:56:53.649Z2025-04-06T03:25:20.001ZS-EPMC99600133606336710.1093/geront/gnac136