Couples who had few or no sexual partners before marriage are two to three times more likely to be in a highly stable marriage compared with those who had more sexual partners, according to a new study from the US-based Wheatley Institute.
This confirms what other national studies have been finding over the last few years.
A co-author of the report, Brian J. Willoughby, Ph.D., said: “It appears that sexual exclusivity between spouses provides an underappreciated foundation for the intimacies of marriage and helps spouses create a mutually satisfying relationship founded on emotional intimacy and healthy communication”.
The study also found that married men and women who have only had sex with their spouse have a nearly 45% chance of reporting a very high level of relationship stability in their marriage, compared to only 25% of married individuals with 5-9 lifetime sexual partners and only 14% of married individuals with 10 or more lifetime sexual partners.
