Online pornography use and sexual satisfaction in association with relationship satisfaction among middle-aged and older people

Abstract

After the age of 50, the frequency of partnered sex decreases, and coping strategies for dealing with this change may vary as people reach later adulthood. To date, little is known about how access to partnered sex, satisfaction with sexual frequency, and pornography use are related to relationship satisfaction in middle-aged and older adults. Using a convenient sample of internet users aged 50–96 (N = 693; 55.6% men), we estimated a hierarchical regression model for two groups: middle-aged (age 50–64) and older adults (age 64–96). Satisfaction with sexual frequency was the strongest predictor of relationship satisfaction in both mid and later adulthood. However, using pornography online showed a small negative effect on relationship satisfaction only in middle-aged adults. The findings show that, despite the known tendency of older people to reassess the importance of later-life sex, satisfaction with sexual frequency remains an important factor for relationship satisfaction in both mid and later adulthood.