Charlene Belu

Assistant Professor

PhD

Psychology

Keirstead Hall 216

Fredericton

c.belu@unb.ca
1 506 458 7697



Research

My research focuses broadly on intimate relationships and sexual wellbeing. Specifically, I am interested in understanding interpersonal predictors of wellbeing among individuals in relationships and couples, particularly those who may be coping with challenges such as sexual difficulty (e.g., orgasmic disorder) or infidelity. I am also interested in the experience of extradyadic attraction among those in romantic relationships.

I welcome enquiries from clinical and experimental graduate students who may be interested in pursuing research in these areas.

Education

  • B.A. (Hons.) Grant MacEwan University
  • Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology) University of New Brunswick
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship Dalhousie University

Selected publications

Belu, C. F. (accepted). The role of the partner in shaping orgasm experiences of cisgender women. Invited review for Female Sexual Dysfunction and Disorders for the 2025 volume of Current Sexual Health Reports. Springer.

Jang, G. E., Corsini-Munt, S., Shimizu, J. P. K., Belu, C. F., Wang, G. A., & Rosen, N. O. (in press). Sexual rejection behaviours used by men with hypoactive sexual desire disorder: Association with couples’ sexual and relationship outcomes. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.

O’Sullivan, L. F., Belu, C. F., & Tramonte, L. (in press). Do crushes pose a problem for exclusive relationships?: Trajectories of attraction intensity to extradyadic others and links to primary relationship commitment and satisfaction. Personal Relationships.

Belu, C. F., & Rosen, N. O. (in press). Investigating the associations between cisgender women’s orgasm experiences, perceived partner responsiveness and sexual wellbeing among community women and their partners. Archives of Sexual Behavior.

O'Sullivan, L. F., Belu, C. F., & Wasson, K. (in press). Breaking up and bouncing back: How individual traits are linked to relationship status and post-breakup adjustment. Archives of Sexual Behavior

Petruzzello, G. R., Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2025). Taking off the rose-colored glasses: Experiences of sexual assault and institutional mistrust. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication.

Belu, C. F., & O'Sullivan, L. F. (2025). It’s just a little crush: Attraction to an alternative and romantic relationship quality, breakups and infidelity. The Journal of Sex Research, 62, 512-528.

Belu, C. F., Bergeron, S., Huberman, J. S., Schwenck, G. C., & Rosen, N. O. (2025). Attraction toward one’s partner is associated with sexual desire, satisfaction, and distress among couples coping with sexual interest/arousal disorder. The Journal of Sex Research, 62, 892-902.

Wang, A. G., Belu. C. F., Allsop, D. B., & Rosen, N. O. (2024). Interpersonal emotion regulation during relationship conflict: Daily and longitudinal associations with couples’ sexual well-being. Emotion, 25, 397–409.

Bockaj, A., Muise, M. D., Belu, C. F., Rosen, N. O., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2024). Sexual performance anxiety in the sexual interactions of men and women. The Journal of Sex Research. Advance online publication.

Belu, C. F. (2024). From betrayal to bliss: Associations between infidelity and relationship satisfaction. In T. Shackelford (Ed.), Springer Nature Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior. Springer, Cham.

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2024). Predictors of infidelity among couples. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 21, 270-272.

Coon, L. C. H., Metcalfe, K. B., Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2023). Recalling, reacting but not regretting?: Characteristics of sexual and romantic infidelity experiences. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 32, 321-331.

Belu, C. F., Corsini-Munt, S. Dubé, J. P., Wang, G. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2023). Partner responses to low desire among couples coping with male hypoactive sexual desire disorder and associations with sexual wellbeing. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 20, 955-964.

O'Sullivan, L. F., Belu, C. F., Richard, M. E., Fuller, R. B. (2023). Did you help? Intervening on behalf of a target during incidents of sexual assault among college student bystanders. Journal of College Student Development, 64, 208-224.

O'Sullivan, L. F., Belu. C. F., & Garcia, J. R. (2022). Loving you from afar: Crushes among adults in exclusive relationships, communication, perceived outcomes, and expectations of future intimate involvement with crush targets. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39, 413-434.

Muise, M. D., Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2021). Unspoken, yet understood: Exploring how couples communicate their exclusivity agreements. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 30, 196-204.

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2020). Once a poacher always a poacher? Mate poaching history and its association with relationship quality. The Journal of Sex Research, 57, 508-521.

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2019). Roving eyes: Predictors of crushes in ongoing romantic relationships and implications for relationship quality. The Journal of Relationship Research, 10, E2.

Belu, C. F., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2018). Why find my own when I can take yours?: The quality of relationships that arise from successful mate poaching. The Journal of Relationship Research, 9, E6.

Teaching

  • Undergraduate courses:
    • PSYC 3453 - Close Relationships
    • PSYC 3403 - Human Sexuality
    • PSYC 2401 - Social Psychology
  • Graduate courses:
    • PSYC 6101 - Ethical Standards for Psychologists
    • PSYC 6102 - Professional and Ethical Issues in Clinical Psychology

Professional awards

  • 2022-2024: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
  • 2022: Certificate of Academic Excellence for Doctoral Thesis, Canadian Psychological Association
  • 2020: Maecenas Graduate Scholarship, University of New Brunswick
  • 2016-2019: Magee Third Century Postgraduate Merit Award, University of New Brunswick
  • 2016-2019: Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Award-D3, SSHRC
  • 2015: Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Master’s Award CGS-M, SSHRC
  • 2014: Social Innovation Scholarship, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation

Funding

  • 2025-2027: Harrison McCain Foundation – Young Scholar’s Award
  • 2024-2026: Research New Brunswick Talent Recruitment Fund
  • 2024-2026: Insight Development Grant, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council