Sexual infidelity in a national survey of American women: differences in prevalence and correlates as a function of method of assessment.

doi:10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.147

Paper

Sexual infidelity in a national survey of American women: differences in prevalence and correlates as a function of method of assessment.

Published Jun 1, 2007 · M. Whisman, D. Snyder

Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association

Q1 SJR score

159

Citations

14

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Semantic Scholar

Abstract

The purposes of this study were (a) to estimate the annual prevalence of, and to identify the predictors of, sexual infidelity in a population-based sample of married women (N = 4,884); and (b) to evaluate whether the prevalence and predictors of infidelity varied as a function of whether the assessment of infidelity was based on a face-to-face interview versus a computer-assisted self-interview. Annual prevalence of infidelity was much smaller on the basis of the face-to-face interview (1.08%) than on the computer-assisted self-interview (6.13%). Although many of the predictor variables replicated results from previous studies (e.g., demographic variables, religiosity, sexual experience), findings also indicated that childhood sexual abuse (i.e., forced sex) predicted greater probability of infidelity. Finally, the magnitude of the association with infidelity for 4 of the 9 predictor variables differed between the 2 methods for assessing infidelity. This study's findings underscore the importance of assessing infidelity with methods such as computer-assisted self-interviews that minimize the influence of social desirability and impression management.

Observational Study

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Study Snapshot

Key takeawayThe annual prevalence of sexual infidelity is higher in married women assessed using computer-assisted self-interviews (6.13%) than in women assessed using face-to-face interviews (1.08%).

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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Sexual infidelity in a national survey of American women: differences in prevalence and correlates as a function of method of assessment.

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References

Childhood trauma and marital outcomes in adulthood

Childhood traumas, such as physical abuse and rape, are associated with higher marital disruption and lower marital satisfaction in adulthood.

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This review synthesizes the literature on extramarital involvement, highlighting conceptual and methodological limitations and identifying research directions for future exploration.

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This paper offers suggestions for assessing relationship betrayals in psychotherapy, addressing definitions, methods, when and whom to assess, confidentiality, and related clinical concerns.

Is Infidelity a Cause or a Consequence of Poor Marital Quality?

Infidelity is both a cause and a consequence of poor marital quality, with divorce proneness predicting extramarital sex and sex leading to lower marital happiness and increased divorce proneness.

Methodological challenges in research on sexual risk behavior: II. Accuracy of self-reports

Computer-assisted assessments show promise for assessing sexual risk behavior, but their accuracy remains unclear.

Citations

The current state of affairs in infidelity research: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of romantic infidelity prevalence and its moderators

Nonsexual forms of infidelity are underexplored, with sexual infidelity receiving the most research attention, and research practices raise concerns about impression management, self-selection, and response biases.

Both Hostile and Benevolent Sexism Predict Men's Infidelity.

Men's ambivalent sexism, both hostile and benevolent, significantly predicts increased infidelity in intimate relationships, with women unaware of this relationship link.

Emotional Dimensions of Infidelity: An Analysis of Psychological and Emotional Factors Affecting Relationship Infidelity

Emotional intimacy, attachment styles, communication patterns, and digital interactions can influence romantic infidelity, with communication skills and attachment insecurities being key to avoiding it.

Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences

Romantic infidelity can cause stress, heartache, and even trauma, and understanding its causes and consequences can help couples facing these issues.

Money lies and extramarital ties: Predicting separate and joint occurrences of financial deception and extramarital infidelity

Moral commitment, personal dedication commitment, and flirting with someone other than one's spouse are predictors of separate and joint occurrences of marital financial deception.