Marriage is not a determinant for sexual satisfaction; can even be a negative correlate when respondents are compared to certain unmarried groups; exception is the unmarried individual with no partner

Does Marriage Really Improve Sexual Satisfaction? Evidence From the Pairfam Data Set. Elyakim Kislev. The Journal of Sex Research, May 3 2019. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2019.1608146

Abstract: In light of the growing unmarried demographic, this study analyzed the extent and determinants of sexual satisfaction among seven relationship-status groups: married, never married, and those who are divorced/separated, where the latter two groups are further divided into single, living apart together (LAT), and cohabiting. In addition, the study measured the levels of sexual self-esteem, sexual communication, and sex frequency for the different relationship-status groups as predictors of sexual satisfaction. Finally, this study also analyzed sexual satisfaction while accounting for overall life satisfaction. Using the ninth wave of the Pairfam data set and analyzing the responses of 3,207 respondents in total, this study suggests that marriage is not a determinant for sexual satisfaction. In fact, it can even be a negative correlate when married respondents are compared to certain unmarried groups. The only exception is that of unmarried individuals who currently have no partner. Even this situation is shown to be dependent only on less frequent intercourse, not on a lack of sexual self-esteem and sexual communication. These conclusions challenge previous research as well as the explanations of earlier scholars. Several directions for future research are discussed in light of these findings.

---
In the conclusions:

The findings show that married people reported lower rates of sexual self-esteem and sexual communication skills than most groups. In terms of sexual communication, only never-married cohabiting people were comparable to married people for both genders, while never-marriedsingle and LAT women and divorced/separated and single women were also comparable to married women. In terms of sexual self-esteem, divorced/separated LAT and never-married cohabiting men were comparable to married men, while only never-married cohabiting women showed lowerrates than married women. Moreover, the findings indicate that marriage per se isnot beneficial for sexual satisfaction. In fact, the base model in Table 3 shows that married couples score rela-tively low in this regard. Non partnered singles scored lower than the married group in terms of sexual satisfac-tion, but the main reason that they were less sexually satisfied than married couples was sex frequency, whichwas naturally lower for non partnered singles than for couples. Therefore, it seems that it is not marriage that isbeneficial to sexual satisfaction but rather having a partner. With the exception of divorced LATs, once one hasa partner, marriage is not a contributor.

It seems that previous studies arguing in favor of marriageshould be more nuanced in several ways. First, they unjustifiably blend the groups of unmarried people together. By combining singles with other unmarried groups, they inaccurately showthat marriage is advantageous for sexual satisfaction. Second,these studies should have isolated LAT singles. This group is more than just an exception. This group, which has rarely been studied, demonstrates that it is not necessarily the nuptial system that makes the difference in terms of sexual satisfaction, it is partnership. Third, several of the previous studies measured sexual satisfaction without some major mediators such as sex frequency and overall life satisfaction. The detailed and rich data of the Pairfam survey show that even singles who havenever been married are more likely to report higher levels ofsexual self-esteem and sexual communication and that it ismostly the availability of sex that makes them less satisfiedsexually. Again, this has implications for the nuptial system ingeneral. Marriage is not beneficial to sexual satisfaction in andof itself (e.g., the value of commitment, the willingness to adapt)but due to the fact that couples are more likely to have a sexpartner in reach.

Step 2 in the multiple hierarchical regression presented in Table 3 is important in this respect because it shows howt he relatively lower scores on sexual self-esteem and sexual communication are significant for married couples. Accounting for these variables, married couples attain similar levels to other groups. In fact, married couples even show higher levels than other groups after accounting for the relatively lower levels of sexual self-esteem and sexual communication, as presented inTable 2. However,this is partly due to the overall advantages that they have in life due to their married status, as step 3 in the multiple hierarchical regression presented in Table 3shows.

Indeed, it is important to account for life satisfaction,because satisfaction in different life realms is interrelated