COUPLES who steadfastly refuse to have sex before marriage have happier and more stable relationships, a new study has revealed.
The study questioned over 2,000 married individuals on when they ‘became sexual’ in their relationship and about their communication with their spouse. The study is published in the Journal of Family Psychology.
Compared to those who had sex early in their relationship, couples who waited until marriage enjoyed 22 percent higher relationship stability and 20 percent higher relationship satisfaction, the study found out.
Communication was rated 12 percent better for those who waited to have sex compared to those who slept together early on in the relationship.
Sexual quality of the relationship was rated 15 percent better for those who waited to have sex until they were married, the study said. For couples who had sex later on in their relationship, but before marriage, the benefits were about half as strong.
“Waiting helps the relationship form better communication processes,” Dean Busby, author of the study said.
The study is a sort of an indictment of the 2009 UN guidelines on sex education that described abstinence education programs as ‘fear-based.’
The guidelines said the programs are ‘designed to control young people’s sexual behavior by instilling fear, shame and guilt.’
