Sexual Satisfaction in Long-Term Relationships of Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Swiss National Study

Introduction: Sexual satisfaction is important for well-being over the life span and a main resource in intimate relationships. While these associations are well-established for younger adults, research regarding later life is limited.
Objectives: This study examined the association among sexual satisfaction, marital happiness, life satisfaction and subjective health in long-term relationships (at least 10 years) of individuals in middle and older age.
Population sample: Data stem from the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research ‘LIVES IP212’, a longitudinal questionnaire study about relationships in later life. Participants were recruited using random quota sample, stratified by age and gender, supplied by the Swiss Federal Office of Statistics. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Bern.
Methods: The sample consists 343 women and 303 men aged 40 - 88 years (M = 63.32, SD = 12.45), married for an average of 35.57 years (SD = 13.63, range 10 - 66 years), who participated in the survey in 2012 and 2016.
Results: The results confirmed that higher sexual satisfaction is significantly associated with higher marital happiness, life satisfaction and subjective health in middle and older age. Sexual satisfaction further moderates the effect of communication style on marital satisfaction, with more pronounced beneficial effects for individuals with avoiding or conflictual interactions.
Conclusion & recommendations: The results showed that even if on average satisfaction with the quality and quantity of sexual contacts decreases over time, sexual satisfaction remains an important resource for relationship quality and individuals well-being up to old age. Therefore health care professionals and counsellors need to dispel myths about asexual older people and should provide support in maintaining sexual satisfaction in the context of physical changes associated with advancing age.