The Relationship of Extramarital Sex, Length of Marriage, and Sex Differences on Marital Satisfaction and Romanticism: Athanasiou's Data Reanalyzed

A reanalysis of subjects' responses to a Psychology Today sex questionnaire demonstrated that the relationship between extramarital sex (EMS), self-reported marital satisfaction, and divorce varies differentially for men and women by length of marriage. Divorce rates are higher for EMS than non-EMS women in young marriages and tend to be higher for EMS men in young and old marriages. EMS subjects generally report lower marital satisfaction than non-EMS subjects, except for women in young marriages and men in old marriages. Marital satisfaction declines the longer married, except for EMS husbands. Romanticism is lower for EMS subjects.