Chastity helps marriages survive

Couples who avoid sex before marriage end up having happier, more stable relationships - and a better time in bed, according to psychologists.

American researchers questioned more than 2,000 married individuals about their relationships, and asked them when they started having sex.

Compared with those having sex early, couples who waited until they were married rated the stability of their relationships 22 per cent higher.

They also had 20 per cent increased levels of relationship satisfaction, 12 per cent better communication and 15 per cent improved "sexual quality".

Professor Dean Busby, from Brigham Young University's School of Family Life in Utah, 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.

"I think it's because they've learned to talk and have the skills to work with issues that come up."

For couples that became sexually involved later in a relationship but prior to marriage, the benefits were about half as strong.

The findings appear in the Journal of Family Psychology.

Commenting on the results, US sociologist Dr Mark Regnerus, from the University of Texas at Austin, said: "Couples who hit the honeymoon too early - that is, prioritise sex promptly at the outset of a relationship - often find their relationships underdeveloped when it comes to the qualities that make relationships stable and spouses reliable and trustworthy."

Since vows of chastity often accompany religious involvement, this was controlled for in the study.

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