Dh. Hendersonking et J. Veroff, SEXUAL SATISFACTION AND MARITAL WELL-BEING IN THE 1ST YEARS OF MARRIAGE, Journal of social and personal relationships, 11(4), 1994, pp. 509-534
We consider the importance of sexual satisfaction in the first years o
f marriage. First, we examine how husbands' and wives' feelings of aff
irmation and tension in their marriage relate to levels of sexual sati
sfaction. Further, we explore the relationship between sexual satisfac
tion. Further, we explore the relationship between sexual satisfaction
and four dimensions of marital well-being: competence, control, equit
y and happiness. Data from a longitudinal study of black and white cou
ples were analysed separately by race and gender. In both the first an
d third years of marriage, feelings of affirmation and tension were as
sociated with sexual satisfaction for all race and gender groups. Sexu
al satisfaction was related to several dimensions of marital well-bein
g, though not always in the expected direction, and the patterns diffe
red across race and gender groups. Sexual satisfaction is at least as
important to wives as to husbands, but it is important to conduct sepa
rate analyses for race and gender groups.