Siobhan's research examines sexual desire in the interpersonal context. Specifically, she is interested in exploring which factors (e.g., communication, mental health, sexual and relationship satisfaction) contribute to the maintenance of sexual desire in long-term romantic relationships.
Siobhan's research also focuses on the processes underlying sexual communication. Some research questions she has examined include: Is sexual communication more challenging than nonsexual communication? What factors promote open discussion of sexual issues between partners? It is hoped that this work will inform treatment practices to help couples experiencing relationship difficulties.
Siobhan's most recent project examines whether women experience low sexual desire in similar or different ways. Her goal is to determine whether low sexual desire can best be understood on a continuum or as distinct categories that operate differently for different women. This research could help clinicians to better understand and treat low sexual desire in women. Her research is funded by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
Her clinical interests include, couples, sexual relationships, sexual desire, communication, relationship and sexual satisfaction.
Outside of school Siobhan enjoys collecting "treasures" with her toddler, fumbling through knitting projects, and pretending to be a foodie with her husband.
Selected Publications and Presentations
Publications
Rehman, U. S., Fallis, E., & Sutherland, S. E. (2017). Sexual communication. In C. Pukall (Ed.), Human sexuality: A contemporary introduction (2nd ed.) (pp. 312-331). Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Rempel, J. K., & Sutherland, S. E. (2016). Hate: Theory and Implications for Intimate Relationships. In K. Aumer (Ed.), The psychology of love and hate in intimate relationships (pp. 105-129). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
Wells, R., Rehman, U. S., Sutherland, S. E. (2016). Alexithymia and social support in romantic relationships. Personality and Individual Differences, 90, 371-376.
Sutherland, S. E., Rehman, U. S., Fallis, E., & Goodnight, J. A. (2015). Understanding the phenomenon of sexual desire discrepancy in couples. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 24, 2, 141-150.
Presentations
Sutherland, S. E., Rehman, U. S., & Fallis, E. (2017). The Content and Correlates of Couples’ Sexual Issues. Poster presented at: The 2017 Canadian Sex Research Forum Annual Meeting, Fredericton, NB.
Sutherland, S. E., & Rehman, U. S. (2016). Viewing sexual desire as stable vs. malleable: How implicit theories can influence how women cope with sexual desire difficulties. Poster presented at: The 2016 Annual Meeting of the International Association of Relationship Research, Toronto, ON.
Sutherland, S. E. & Rehman, U. S. (2016). Implicit theories of sexual desire: Implications for how women cope with sexual desire difficulties. Talk presented at: The 2016 Graduate Discovery Conference, Waterloo, ON.
Sutherland, S. E. & Rehman, U. S. (2015). Towards an understanding of sexual desire discrepancy in couples. Poster presented at: The 2015 Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Albuquerque, NM.
Sutherland, S. E., Rehman, U. S., Fallis, E. (2015). Viewing gender differences in desire as stable versus malleable: How implicit theories can shape responses to a partner’s sexual difficulty. Poster presented at: The 2015 Canadian Sex Research Forum Annual Meeting, Kelowna, BC.
Sutherland, S. E., Rehman, U., Fallis, E. (2014). Understanding the Phenomenology of Sexual Desire Discrepancy in a Community Sample of Couples in Long-Term Relationships. Poster presented at: Canadian Sex Research Forum Annual Meeting, Kingston, ON.
Rempel, J. K., & Torrie, S. E. (2014). When doing good makes you feel bad: The effect of blocked goals on judgments of hate. Talk presented at: The International Association for Relationship Research Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Torrie, S. E., & Rempel, J. K. (2013). The effect of positive behaviour on experiences of hate and dislike. Poster session presented at: The 14th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.