Sexting Among Married Couples: Who Is Doing It, and Are They More Satisfied?

Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2015 Nov;18(11):628-34. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2015.0334. Epub 2015 Oct 20.

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of sexting (i.e., sending sexual messages via mobile phones) within a sample of married/cohabiting couples (180 wives and 175 husbands). Married adults do sext each other, but it is much less common than within young adult relationships, and consists mainly of sexy or intimate talk (29% reported engaging in sexy talk with partners) rather than sexually explicit photos or videos (12% reported sending nude or nearly-nude photos). Sending sexy talk messages was positively related to relationship satisfaction only among those with high levels of avoidance, and sending sexually explicit pictures was related to satisfaction for men, and for women with high levels of attachment anxiety. Additionally, sending sexually explicit pictures was related to greater ambivalence among both men and women. These findings support and extend previous research with young adults.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Male
  • Marriage / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Sexual Behavior / psychology*
  • Sexual Partners / psychology*
  • Text Messaging*
  • Young Adult