Couples who wait until their wedding night to have sex are "happier", says study

Couples who wait until their wedding night to have sex are "happier", says study

Couples who don't have sex before they marry will enjoy a more stable relationship, according to a new study.

Carried out by Bringham Young University in Utah, the research revealed that couples who wait until their wedding night were 22 per cent more likely to rate the stability of their relationship highly.

The study added that abstinence increased communication by 12 per cent, relationship satisfaction by 20 per cent and "sexual quality" by 15 per cent.

Professor Dean Busby, who co-ordinated the research, said: "There's more to a relationship than sex, but we did find that those who waited longer were happier with the sexual aspect of their relationship."

He said that in his opinion, the positive results seen when couples practice abstinence was as a result of better communication and skills when dealing with issues.

"Regardless of religiosity, waiting helps the relationships form better communication processes, and these help improve long-term stability and relationship satisfaction," Professor Busby added.

Recently the issue of teenage sex has been drawn into the spotlight, after a Channel 4 programme, The Joy of Teenage Sex, was criticised for its graphic content and the time at which it was shown.

Posted by Amanda Hopkins