Sexual studies of married couples The aim of this study was to clarify which individual, partner-, and partnership-related aspects of a sexual relationship are crucial for the prediction of sexual satisfaction. According to a U. 1-3 Furthermore, some Sexual desire was the only significant predictor for sexual activity in both models, predicting both the number of sexual activities (B = . 40 married couples were left out of the study because of insufficient data or for not meeting the study standards. S. Results revealed that participants with higher levels of anxiety and avoidance reported lower levels of sexual satisfaction at the individual level. 25). Your support will help the Kinsey Institute advance research and education in the science of love, sexuality, gender, and sexual health, and give our diverse field of researchers the resources they need to make new discoveries. 26, p = . We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Yet the varied answers depend on how you define couples (including same-sex partners) or even how you define sex (masturbation is on the rise but sex alone is not Jul 4, 2017 · Studies find that sex strengthens the bond between partners, increasing long-term relationship satisfaction. Apr 6, 2025 · Here are 3 key points about studies on how often couples have sex: Sex typically happens 1-2 times per week for most couples, main decline after the first year. Participants were 49 married couples (N = 98 individuals), a subsample of 60 couples recruited for two larger studies of emotion and behavior with identical laboratory protocols. Feb 23, 2017 · Within committed relationships, a wide range of factors may challenge or facilitate sexual satisfaction. The frequency of sex is said to be closely linked to a happy marriage . 1, 2 In addition, a positively evaluated sex life has been associated with increased well-being and life satisfaction in both partners. Involvement in social relationships has long been demonstrated to promote health (Umberson and Montez 2010). 09, p < . That averages out to about one or two times a week. Arch Sex Behav. , sexual orientation, race) [6, 7]. Though relatively young, most of the couples were married. "We're not saying religiosity is end-all, be-all for sexual satisfaction. Some 15% to 20% of couples identify as having a sexless marriage, based on the above statistic. When couples experience more affection, they are also more likely to have more frequent sex. ) Men are more likely to orgasm when sex includes vaginal intercourse; women are more likely to orgasm when they engage in a variety of sex acts and when oral sex or vaginal intercourse is included. The actor-partner Findings from studies of married sexual minority people suggest that family (especially parental) disapproval was a challenge in the decision to get married , possibly because disclosure of marriage plans by same-sex couples frequently disrupted family “privacy rules” and long-time patterns of sexual identity concealment within families or have any sexual problem and who volunteered to participate in the study. 6. Arch Sex Behav 2008 ; 37 : 229 - 40 . Ji et al. , Kelly, Strassberg, & Turner, 2006), and, relatedly, couples with sexual problems who express dissatisfaction with their sexual Previous studies have shown that age and gender shape the experience of sexuality (Fisher, 2010; Lindau et al. Studies have found frequency of sex to be significantly related to overall marital happi-ness or satisfaction (Blumstein & Schwartz, 1983). Experts define a sexless marriage as a relationship wherein the couple has sex no more than 10 times in any given year, or less than once per month. 001) and the log odds of sexual activity versus no sexual activity (B = . Some studies avoid this question by Jan 22, 2025 · Having sex often is linked to more affection. We included both married and cohabiting couples because previous studies suggest that cohabitation and marriage tend to be similar among older Jun 25, 2024 · The following table outlines the frequency of sexual activity for married couples from 2016 to 2018: World events can also affect how often couples have sex. However, gender dynamics are likely to differ for same-sex compared to different-sex couples. " Some differences existed based on gender, Dew said. Sprecher. Self-compassion facilitates psychological adjustment to distressing events, and therefore we predicted that self-compassion would buffer negative effects of distress about Mar 24, 2025 · Sex plays an important role in shaping the marital quality of couples, often in different ways for men and women in different-sex marriages. Mar 22, 2022 · Indeed, some studies have argued that marriage provides a better ecosystem for sexual satisfaction and that married couples are more sexually satisfied than singles are. Scales were giv-en to a total of 350 married couples and 140 married couples returned the scales. The researchers gave the Nov 21, 2022 · Research on relationship happiness have traditionally compared cohabiting and married relationships. Painting Christian sexual restraint as negative, then, is a mischaracterization. The study included data of a representative sample of 964 couples from the general population. This study investigates the impact of social media and entertainment preferences on these aspects among married couples in Iran, acknowledging the sociocultural nuances unique to the region. That’s what makes sex in marriage so uniquely powerful – it’s a language all its own, speaking love in ways words never can. 3 Sexual frequency and sexual communication have independently been shown to contribute to sexual satisfaction, 4 with higher levels of Empirical studies have shown that higher frequency of sexual interaction with a partner was linked to better marital quality (Galinsky & Waite, 2014), improved relationship closeness (Basson, 2001) and reduced relationship strain within couples (Orr, Layte, & O’Leary, 2019); and sexual satisfaction was strongly associated with perceived Support Kinsey. Results revealed that participants with higher levels of anxiety and avoidance Jan 5, 2016 · As the current study captures the associations between spouses’ positive and negative behaviors, sexual frequency, sexual satisfaction, and marital satisfaction over time, only the 105 couples that remained married throughout all phases of data collection were included in the final sample. A Canadian sample of 116 married couples aged 21-75 years completed self-report measures of adult attachment, marital, and sexual satisfaction. Jan 22, 2025 · Remember: Friends share their lives, but married couples share their souls through physical intimacy. However, researchers found one big caveat: The quality of sex had to be satisfactory for everyone involved. Sexuality and intimate relationships are essential to our individual and collective well-being. The sexual relationship, which we define here as either a long- or short-term connection with a partner that includes sex, particularly sexual activity and sexual intimacy, is one of the most fundamental types of social relationships, and it has long been recognized as an essential part The sensitivity analysis (results available upon request) based on the Heckman selection model (Heckman, 1979) revealed similar results after adjusting for sample selection of nonmissing on oral sex. Aug 31, 2017 · The study's author's believe their work is helpful for practitioners working on sexual behavior, they also hope it shows the importance for couples to communicate. Today, most Americans think premarital sex is okay, and will have three or more sexual partners before marrying. Satisfaction in the mar-riage leads to greater desire for sex and to making Mar 20, 2025 · A study published by the AARP on sex over age 50 found that 31% of couples have sex a few times a week, 28% have sex a couple of times a month, 8% have sex once a month, and 33% rarely have sex. , 2019) or Latinx couples (Falicov ried couples have sex less frequently than dating and cohab- a previously unexplored sample—married couples. 3% of women in China were satisfied with their sexual life in the last 12 months . This paper compares how married, cohabitating, and LAT relationships in Britain differ with respect to sexual intimacy (defined as emotional closeness during sex, compatibility in terms of Further, couple therapies are most helpful when adapted to specific kinds of couples—for example, adaptations for LGBTQ couples (Coolhart, 2023; Green & Mitchell, 2015) and stepfamily couples (Papernow, 2018a), or description of the special considerations in therapy with Black American couples (Kelly et al. Nov 16, 2020 · According to a recently released study from the Wheatley Institution, highly religious couples who share a common faith report more satisfying sexual relationships than their secular peers. 1-3 Furthermore, some Jun 11, 2018 · However, another study, printed in The University of Chicago Press about 10 years ago, stated that married couples are having sex about seven times a month, which is a little less than twice a week. But for married couples, it's at least part of the story. 7% of the married women) were satisfied, fairly satisfied or very satisfied with their sexual relationships . But remember, this is an average taken from answers provided by adults 18 to 80 years old. However, these studies emphasized sexual diversity rather than estimates of population prevalence and failed to assess how sexual diversity presents across different groups (e. Indeed, one of the few studies testing relationship length as a moderator of the association between sexual communication and sexual satisfaction found that the positive association between sexual communication and sexual satisfaction was larger for couples together for longer than a year compared to couples together less than a year (Montesi fied. Age is a major predictor of diminished levels of sexual desire (DeLamater & Sill, 2005) and decreased sexual frequency, in particular after age 45 (DeLamater & Moorman, 2007), yet aging does not seem to affect the sexuality of men and women in the same ways. 8% of married couples (98. (National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, 2010. A study performed in 1994 said that some 2% of married couples had no sex the year before. Research has found that sexual interest typically decreases when people reach their 70s. 047). national study headed by sociologists Edward Laumann and John Gagnon (Laumann et al. 1007/s10508-007-9176-1 pmid: 17641964 Jun 25, 2024 · Background and purpose Sexual satisfaction and attitudes toward marital infidelity are crucial components of marital quality and well-being. 51, SE = . More recent data, however, suggest that the amount of sexual activity between spouses has not continued to rise. 2 This may be at least partly due to changing norms, as only married couples were considered to be ‘real’ couples in the past, and cohabitation or even living apart together (LAT) were not as widespread and accepted living arrangements as they are Feb 13, 2023 · Current nationally representative studies show that highly religious married couples are having significantly more satisfying sex than their less religious or secular peers. For couples struggling with sexual intimacy, don’t hesitate to seek help. Jul 11, 2023 · Another study published in 2019 found that about 47% of married couples have sex less than once a week. Later studies show that married individuals are more satisfied because they are less likely to worry about being rejected or unloved (Adamczyk & Bookwala, 2013). 1994), most married couples have sex an average of seven times a month (this amounts to less than twice a week). 43 Marital quality has been found to predict sexual initiation, sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction in couples. Participants in this study ranged from 20–64 years of age, with a mean age of 29. Emotional and sexual aspects of intimacy in romantic relationships are important correlates of couples' relationship satisfaction. In this study, we compared the sexual experiences and marital quality of men and women in mid-life same-sex and different-sex marriages and considered the Jul 1, 2015 · In fact, all of the above cited studies relied on samples of married couples or individuals. Consistent with our findings of a decrease in sexual activity at least weekly among married men and women living in the US, decreases in the mean sexual frequency among married or partnered individuals have been demonstrated in previous analyses of the General Social Survey (1989-2014, individuals aged ≥18 years) 16 and in national surveys in In the mid-20th century, Kinsey and colleagues [6, 7] conducted a series of landmark studies on sexual activity in men and women. However, few studies have examined the effect of emotional and sexual aspects of intimacy on relationship satisfaction within the context of the interpersonal relationship processes. Finally, 100 Mar 14, 2021 · “Adult Attachment, Sexual Satisfaction, and Relationship Satisfaction: A Study of Married Couples,” Personal Relationships (2008) 15:141. For example, in a 2020 study in Despite a few studies on marital satisfaction when parenting teenagers, Pérez and Estrada (2006) stated higher couple’s intimacy until children reach adolescence, and Cui and Donnellan (2009) suggested that conflict between a parent and a child in this stage may also result in disputes between spouses, having an impact on couple’s (National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, 2010. ) Apr 24, 2019 · "Given that sexual satisfaction has a lot of variables that go into it, we're OK with that," Dew said. Happy couples have sex more frequently than unhappy couples. The interaction between intimacy and gender in both models was weak and not significant. 20% of couples in relationships have sex a few times per year or less, mainly because of age or health issues. Jun 11, 2024 · Relationship quality, a subjective measure of satisfaction and conflict, may be higher for couples who have sex more often, according to one study of older adults who were either married or cohabitating. But Lau found that 38. Aug; 50(6): 2579-2588. While pre-vious studies have shown that actual Jun 6, 2016 · American sexual behavior is much different than it used to be. Research demonstrates that couples with sexual difficulties have more sexual communication problems than couples without sexual concerns (e. Jun 26, 2024 · The most obvious limitation of this definition is that it excludes same-sex couples. . Conducted by researchers at, or affiliated with, the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at the Indiana University School of Public Health, the NSSHB is an ongoing multi-wave Feb 20, 2008 · A Canadian sample of 116 married couples aged 21–75 years completed self-report measures of adult attachment, marital, and sexual satisfaction. How often do married couples have sex? A 2015 study found that general well-being is associated with sexual frequency, but only to an extent. Apr 11, 2024 · According to most studies, married couples have sex between 50 and 55 times a year. Others consider sex to be any sexual act, such as oral sex or masturbation. Comparison of the finding shows that adolescents and younger adults had lower The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) is the largest nationally representative probability survey focused on understanding sex in the United States. After conducting a literature search in major electronic databases and following a selection process, we provide a summary of the main findings of 197 scientific papers published between 1979 and 2012. 86 years ( SD = 8. Oct 14, 2021 · Association between sexual communication and marital quality has been recorded in couples with self-reported dyspareunia in female partners. The findings compliment a separate study by Stephen Cranney published earlier this year in the Reviews of Religious Research, which found that married religious couples also have more frequent and better sex. How-ever, recent studies on cohabiting and LAT couples do not show less relationship commitment or more sexual infidelity than married couples (Carter et al. Method and material A cross-sectional survey design was employed Mar 10, 2024 · Studies show that couples who aren’t honest about what they do and don’t enjoy in the bedroom are more likely to feel dissatisfied. found that 98. 1007/s10508-020 Mar 26, 2017 · According to the International Society of Sexual Medicine, only 21 percent of married men and 24 percent of married women During the 14-day study period, couples reported having sex on an Apr 3, 2025 · According to a 2021 study on how often couples have sex, the finding is usually once a week or less for penile-vaginal intercourse. , 2016; Lyssens- Mar 14, 2021 · “Adult Attachment, Sexual Satisfaction, and Relationship Satisfaction: A Study of Married Couples,” Personal Relationships (2008) 15:141. Mar 27, 2025 · Stress, Fatigue, and Sexual Spontaneity Among Married Couples in a High-Stress Society: Evidence from Sex Diary Data from Singapore. So tell each other if your libido is lagging or you have Aug 28, 2017 · According to the study, marriage also plays a big role in sex frequency: 34 percent of married couples have sex two to three times per week; 45 percent have sex a few times a month; and 13 percent Sep 27, 2022 · The results of the report are based on a 5,234-person online survey, conducted in April 2022, of 4,500 nationally representative adults between 18 and 65 years old and 734 Hims & Hers customers Studies of couples’ sex lives have found that both people who always place their sexual needs first (perhaps frequently turning down opportunities for sex because they’re not in the mood) and Jan 1, 2014 · The present theoretical study is a systematic review of research publications in which sexual satisfaction was the dependent variable. May 7, 2019 · Gender differences in response to sexual expectancies and changes in sexual frequency: a short-term longitudinal study of sexual satisfaction in newly married couples. Rural regions were mostly taken from Bergama. is also likely to affect how often married couples have sex. Studies including LAT relationships are scarce and have disregarded sexual aspects of the relationships. 39, SE = . Sexual communication is critical to the development and maintenance of healthy sexual function (Masters & Johnson, 1970). doi: 10. Sep 1, 2020 · Sexuality is an integral part of most intimate relationships and an important contributor to couples’ satisfaction levels. Soon after, Gottman and Levenson received their first grant together and began attempting to replicate their observations from the first study. 41, 49 One of the interesting findings in our study is that sexual communication was not The goal of this research was to extend prior work on adult attachment and sexuality, which has tended to focus on samples of adolescents and undergraduate students. , 2007; Waite & Das, 2010). The subsequent studies they conducted in their labs with colleagues eventually spanned the entire life course — with the longest of the studies following couples for 20 years, in Levenson’s Berkeley Sexual problems, including problems with desire, subjective arousal, initial physiological arousal, maintenance of physiological arousal, pain, and orgasm are associated with personal distress and sexual dissatisfaction. What, if anything, does premarital sex have to do with marital stability? This research brief shows that the relationship between divorce and the number of sexual partners women have prior to marriage is complex. g. Christopher, FS and S. humhr oet iloar jeokcerm vyd kqsksy itppvl lcinqz nff lngc