Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41670901›Full record

ArticleArchives of sexual behavior2026

Women Are Slightly More Sexually Satisfied in Their Romantic Relationships Than Men: An Integrative Data Analytic Approach.

Ashlyn Brady, Levi R Baker, Jessica A Maxwell, Sara B Algoe, Carolyn Birnie-Porter, Marlee Brownstein, Kathleen L Carswell, Emily J Cross, Anik Debrot, Eli J Finkel and 14 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of sexual behavior, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

24 authors.

Ashlyn BradyDepartment of Psychology, Sweet Briar College, 134 Chapel Road, Sweet Briar, VA, 24595, USA. a.bradylusk@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0003-0748-4557
Levi R BakerDepartment of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA.
Jessica A MaxwellDepartment of Health, Aging and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Sara B AlgoeDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Carolyn Birnie-PorterDepartment of Psychology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Marlee BrownsteinPsychology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Kathleen L CarswellDepartment of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
Emily J CrossEssex University, Colchester, UK.
Anik DebrotInstitute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Eli J FinkelDepartment of Psychology and Department of Management and Organizations, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Cheryl HarasymchukDepartment of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Emily A ImpettDepartment of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Toronto, ON, Canada.
James J KimDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Canada.
Chelom E LeavittSchool of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
Geoff MacDonaldDepartment of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Michael R ManiaciDepartment of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA.
Kristen P MarkDepartment of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
James K McNultyDepartment of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
Andrea L MeltzerDepartment of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
Amy MuiseDepartment of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Nickola C OverallSchool of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Yoobin ParkDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Harry T ReisDepartment of Psychology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
Francesca RighettiExperimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Funding

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 1 R03 HD058314National Science Foundation BCS-1251520National Science Foundation BCS-719780Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research 451-12-024NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH59615Swiss National Science Foundation P2FRP1-161722The Love Consortium and The John Templeton Foundation 61280
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Sexual satisfaction is a common goal within romantic relationships that contributes to individual and relational well-being. Yet, theoretical perspectives, and even popular assumptions, suggest that women may be less sexually satisfied than men. We tested this possibility among people in romantic relationships with two high-powered Integrative Data Analyses (one cross-sectional, n = 11,841, k = 28; one daily-experience, n = 1,827, k = 8, daily reports = 18,321). Contrary to theoretical and lay perspectives, partnered women reported slightly greater sexual satisfaction than did partnered men (r = .08).. To further explore why partnered women reported greater sexual satisfaction than did partnered men, we conducted supplemental analyses that revealed that women's greater sexual satisfaction was not a result of engaging in less frequent sexual behavior, their broader satisfaction with their relationship, or considering partners' sexual enjoyment. In sum, although women may face obstacles that hinder their sexual experiences, these findings suggest that partnered women do not report being less satisfied and instead report being slightly more satisfied with their sex lives than do partnered men. Nevertheless, it is still unknown whether these slight differences in sexual satisfaction have practical implications for couples' relationships or well-being.

Indexed as

Interpersonal RelationsPersonal SatisfactionSexual BehaviorSexual PartnersAdolescentAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSex FactorsYoung AdultGender differencesIntegrative Data AnalysisRomantic relationshipsSexSexual satisfaction

Identifiers

PMID41670901

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.