Marriage Can Be More Satisfying When People Practice Abstinence

Benefits in Delaying Sex Until Marriage

Happier Marriages, More Satisfying Sex Among the Perks, Study Finds

 A report, just published in the Journal of Family Psychology, suggests that people who delay having sex do indeed have better relationships, on four different measures (see table). That result applies to both men and women.

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Dec. 28, 2010 -- It may be common for couples to have sex before marriage, but a new study shows that couples who wait until marriage are happier with the quality of sex than couples who have intercourse before their vows.

What’s more, couples who delay sex until their wedding night have more stable and happier marriages than couples who have premarital sex, according to the study, which appears in the Journal of Family Psychology.

The study involved 2,035 married participants in an online assessment of marriage called “RELATE.” According to the study, people who waited until marriage:

• rated sexual quality 15% higher than people who had premarital sex
• rated relationship stability as 22% higher
• rated satisfaction with their relationships 20% higher

The benefits were about half as strong for couples who became sexually active later in their relationships but before marriage.