Sexual Satisfaction and Marital Well-Being in the First Years of Marriage

Abstract

We consider the importance of sexual satisfaction in the first years of marriage. First, we examine how husbands' and wives' feelings of affirmation and tension in their marriage relate to levels of sexual satisfaction. Further, we explore the relationship between sexual satisfaction and four dimensions of marital well-being: competence, control, equity and happiness. Data from a longitudinal study of black and white couples were analysed separately by race and gender. In both the first and third years of marriage, feelings of affirmation and tension were associated with sexual satisfaction for all race and gender groups. Sexual satisfaction was related to several dimensions of marital well-being, though not always in the expected direction, and the patterns differed across race and gender groups. Sexual satisfaction is at least as important to wives as to husbands, but it is important to conduct separate analyses for race and gender groups.