ORIGINAL RESEARCH—PSYCHOLOGY Differentiating Components of Sexual Well-Being in Women: Are Sexual Satisfaction and Sexual Distress Independent Constructs?

Introduction. Sexual satisfaction and sexual distress are common outcome measures in studies of sexual health and well-being. However, confusion remains as to if and how the two constructs are related.While many researchers have conceptualized satisfaction and distress as polar opposites, with a lack of satisfaction indicating high distress and vice versa, there is a growing movement to view satisfaction and distress as relatively independent factors and measure