Does the Importance of Sex to Marital Satisfaction Decrease or Increase With Time? A Close Replication

Based on a representative sample derived from the MIDUS study (1,472 females and 1,415 males), we investigate temporal patterns of the relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital satisfaction and find that this relationship increases (rather than decreases) with time, and that it is primarily due to age (rather than marital duration). Theoretical and methodological implications of this finding are discussed, and in particular the importance of relying on large samples when examining moderation effects, of examining alternative explanations for observed interactions, and of conducting replications in samples drawn from different populations.