#nonmonogamy — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #nonmonogamy, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: September 12, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Having multiple partners does not compromise sexual health, large study finds
A recent study published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships provides evidence that engaging in multiple romantic or sexual relationships does not compromise sexual health. Across two large datasets, researchers found that people in non-monogamous relationships, whether through mutual consent or secrecy, tended to report sexual functioning, satisfaction, and health outcomes that were comparable to, and in some cases slightly better than, those of people in strictly monogamous relationships.
Consensual non-monogamy involves partners mutually agreeing to allow outside romantic or sexual relationships, such as in polyamory or swinging. Infidelity, by contrast, involves engaging in outside relationships secretly and without a partner’s consent.
It is a common assumption that monogamy is inherently safer and more satisfying, but prior work paints a different picture. A study covered by PsyPost in 2016 found that more than one in five single American adults have engaged in consensual non-monogamy at some point. Following this demographic realization, research has sought to understand how these relationship structures operate. For instance, a 2015 study found that people in mutually agreed-upon open relationships were just as likely to practice safe sex and had similar rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to monogamous couples.
Expanding on that, a 2012 study indicated that people who cheat on their partners tend to be less likely to practice safer sex than those in openly non-monogamous relationships. In terms of sexual satisfaction, a 2019 study suggested that polyamorous individuals often experience higher levels of passion and eroticism with secondary partners than with their primary partners.
The current study builds on this progression by testing whether sexual functioning, desire, and the risk of sexually transmitted infections actually differ across relationship types. By strictly distinguishing between consensual non-monogamy and secret infidelity, the researchers used both targeted and large representative population datasets to answer this question.
The research was led by Michelle Larva-Ruhala, a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku’s INVEST Research Flagship Centre in Finland, who aimed to capture a comprehensive picture of how managing multiple partners influences sexual wellbeing.
“We addressed two gaps in research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala told PsyPost. “Firstly, we know from previous research that [consensually non-monogamous] relationships are similar to monogamous relationships in relationship quality and sexual satisfaction, but sexual functioning among people with multiple partners has not been studied outside the context of infidelity.”
“Second, the presumption has been that the transparent, negotiated, ‘ethical’ nature of (consensual) non-monogamy is what leads to these better outcomes and sets it apart from infidelity, which we associate with lower quality, conflict, etc.,” she continued. “So, in a nutshell, we wanted to know if having other partners had any ‘spillover effects’ into the bedroom, and whether the consensual vs. non-consensual nature of the non-monogamy had anything to do with it.”
The researchers utilized a two-study approach. In the first study, the team analyzed data from 888 adults recruited through an online survey across multiple countries, including the United States, Portugal, Italy, and Finland. Participants reported their relationship identity as either monogamous or consensually non-monogamous, which included categories like polyamory and open relationships. They also answered questions about how often their interactions with others felt like infidelity or involved keeping sexual and emotional secrets from their primary partner.
To measure sexual functioning, the survey used validated questionnaires assessing domains like desire, arousal, lubrication, and satisfaction for women, and erection, ejaculation, and satisfaction for men. Participants with multiple partners completed these measures for up to two partners. The survey also asked about participants’ history of testing for and being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.
The results of the first study showed that sexual functioning was largely similar between monogamous and non-monogamous individuals. However, partner-specific differences emerged. Women with multiple partners reported greater sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction with their non-primary partners compared to their primary partners, and their scores with non-primary partners were also higher than the scores reported by single-partnered women.
These findings are in line with research covered by PsyPost in 2019, which found that polyamorous individuals report greater eroticism with secondary partners, suggesting they may diversify how their sexual needs are fulfilled across different relationships. Among men, sexual functioning did not differ by relationship type or between partners.
When looking at sexual health practices, polyamorous individuals were 3.6 times more likely to have ever been tested for a sexually transmitted infection compared to monogamous individuals. Despite this higher rate of testing and having more partners, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infection diagnoses did not differ between the two groups.
For the most part, infidelity was not linked to worse sexual functioning. There was one exception: men who reported keeping emotional attachments and sexual encounters secret from their primary partner tended to report lower sexual satisfaction in that primary relationship.
“We were surprised by the finding that infidelity was not associated with worse outcomes,” Larva-Ruhala noted. “Both studies suggest that, on average, having multiple concurrent partners isn’t necessarily tied to poorer sexual health, whether through consensual or non-consensual non-monogamy.”
The second study expanded the investigation to a population level, utilizing a pooled dataset of 10,503 participants from Finland. This dataset combined responses from genetic and behavioral research projects. Participants self-reported their relationship structure and completed broad measures of sexual wellbeing.
For women, this included overall sexual desire and functioning. For men, the researchers assessed premature ejaculatory symptoms, meaning how well they could control ejaculation. The study also measured general dyadic desire, which is the level of sexual interest a person feels toward an attractive partner.
To ensure fair comparisons between the small fraction of non-monogamous individuals and the large monogamous majority, the researchers statistically matched participants on factors like age, gender, and sociosexual orientation, a measure of how willing a person is to engage in uncommitted sex. They also controlled for whether the couples lived together and the gender of their partners.
This approach provided a unique advantage over previous work. “The method used in Study 2 is important for the current research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala explained. “Most studies… use data collected from online surveys that people in [consensually non-monogamous] relationships opt into, which is partly necessary in order to obtain a big enough pool of participants to conduct the analyses we want to do, but it also means heavy selection-bias.”
“People who are generally happy in their relationships and interested in representing their relationship configuration may be more quick to participate in these surveys,” she added. “However, study 2 used data from population-representative samples in studies not focused on [consensual non-monogamy], so we can assume people all across the board completed the survey, lowering some of that bias. It improves the generalizability of the results.”
In this population-based sample, non-monogamous men reported fewer early ejaculatory symptoms than monogamous men. Non-monogamous women reported higher global sexual desire than monogamous women. Both men and women in non-monogamous relationships reported slightly greater dyadic desire.
Again, when the researchers specifically isolated the effects of infidelity, defined here as cheating or having partners who were unaware and non-consenting, they found no effect on these sexual health outcomes. This broader lack of negative effects aligns with a major review covered by PsyPost earlier this year, which found that consensually non-monogamous individuals report levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction that are statistically indistinguishable from those of monogamous couples.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The studies relied entirely on self-reported measures of sexual functioning and health, which can sometimes differ from objective physiological indicators or medical records. People might misremember their history of sexually transmitted infections or bias their answers to appear in a more favorable light.
Additionally, the first study grouped some participants under the broad umbrella of non-monogamy without distinguishing the specific agreements they had with their partners, such as whether they cohabitate or adhere to strict relationship hierarchies. The measure of infidelity in the second study also combined current and past cheating, meaning some participants may have reconciled with their partners long ago, potentially diluting the measurable impact of the infidelity on current sexual health. Future research could benefit from tracking couples over time to see how relationship structures and sexual health influence each other as relationship agreements evolve.
“Just because we didn’t find many differences in sexual health between those who cheat and those who practice ‘ethical’ forms of non-monogamy, doesn’t mean that doing one or the other is of no consequence,” Larva-Ruhala emphasized. “The results certainly don’t condone infidelity. They simply show that people can maintain sexual health under both versions of non-monogamy.”
To build on these findings, the research team hopes to see this work expanded. “We need replication research to validate or contradict these findings with further evidence, preferably in population-based samples from other countries,” she said.
The study, “Sexual Health in Monogamous and Non-Monogamous Relationships: Evidence From Convenience and Population-Based Samples,” was authored by Michelle A. Larva, David L. Rodrigues, Annika Gunst, Patrick Jern, Sabina Nickull, Marie-Pier Larose, Markus J. Rantala, and Justin K. Mogilski.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SexualHealth #NonMonogamy #ConsensualNonMonogamy #OpenRelationships #Polyamory #SexualSatisfaction #SafeSex #Infidelity #RelationshipResearch #MonogamyMyth
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DATE: September 12, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Having multiple partners does not compromise sexual health, large study finds
A recent study published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships provides evidence that engaging in multiple romantic or sexual relationships does not compromise sexual health. Across two large datasets, researchers found that people in non-monogamous relationships, whether through mutual consent or secrecy, tended to report sexual functioning, satisfaction, and health outcomes that were comparable to, and in some cases slightly better than, those of people in strictly monogamous relationships.
Consensual non-monogamy involves partners mutually agreeing to allow outside romantic or sexual relationships, such as in polyamory or swinging. Infidelity, by contrast, involves engaging in outside relationships secretly and without a partner’s consent.
It is a common assumption that monogamy is inherently safer and more satisfying, but prior work paints a different picture. A study covered by PsyPost in 2016 found that more than one in five single American adults have engaged in consensual non-monogamy at some point. Following this demographic realization, research has sought to understand how these relationship structures operate. For instance, a 2015 study found that people in mutually agreed-upon open relationships were just as likely to practice safe sex and had similar rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to monogamous couples.
Expanding on that, a 2012 study indicated that people who cheat on their partners tend to be less likely to practice safer sex than those in openly non-monogamous relationships. In terms of sexual satisfaction, a 2019 study suggested that polyamorous individuals often experience higher levels of passion and eroticism with secondary partners than with their primary partners.
The current study builds on this progression by testing whether sexual functioning, desire, and the risk of sexually transmitted infections actually differ across relationship types. By strictly distinguishing between consensual non-monogamy and secret infidelity, the researchers used both targeted and large representative population datasets to answer this question.
The research was led by Michelle Larva-Ruhala, a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku’s INVEST Research Flagship Centre in Finland, who aimed to capture a comprehensive picture of how managing multiple partners influences sexual wellbeing.
“We addressed two gaps in research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala told PsyPost. “Firstly, we know from previous research that [consensually non-monogamous] relationships are similar to monogamous relationships in relationship quality and sexual satisfaction, but sexual functioning among people with multiple partners has not been studied outside the context of infidelity.”
“Second, the presumption has been that the transparent, negotiated, ‘ethical’ nature of (consensual) non-monogamy is what leads to these better outcomes and sets it apart from infidelity, which we associate with lower quality, conflict, etc.,” she continued. “So, in a nutshell, we wanted to know if having other partners had any ‘spillover effects’ into the bedroom, and whether the consensual vs. non-consensual nature of the non-monogamy had anything to do with it.”
The researchers utilized a two-study approach. In the first study, the team analyzed data from 888 adults recruited through an online survey across multiple countries, including the United States, Portugal, Italy, and Finland. Participants reported their relationship identity as either monogamous or consensually non-monogamous, which included categories like polyamory and open relationships. They also answered questions about how often their interactions with others felt like infidelity or involved keeping sexual and emotional secrets from their primary partner.
To measure sexual functioning, the survey used validated questionnaires assessing domains like desire, arousal, lubrication, and satisfaction for women, and erection, ejaculation, and satisfaction for men. Participants with multiple partners completed these measures for up to two partners. The survey also asked about participants’ history of testing for and being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.
The results of the first study showed that sexual functioning was largely similar between monogamous and non-monogamous individuals. However, partner-specific differences emerged. Women with multiple partners reported greater sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction with their non-primary partners compared to their primary partners, and their scores with non-primary partners were also higher than the scores reported by single-partnered women.
These findings are in line with research covered by PsyPost in 2019, which found that polyamorous individuals report greater eroticism with secondary partners, suggesting they may diversify how their sexual needs are fulfilled across different relationships. Among men, sexual functioning did not differ by relationship type or between partners.
When looking at sexual health practices, polyamorous individuals were 3.6 times more likely to have ever been tested for a sexually transmitted infection compared to monogamous individuals. Despite this higher rate of testing and having more partners, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infection diagnoses did not differ between the two groups.
For the most part, infidelity was not linked to worse sexual functioning. There was one exception: men who reported keeping emotional attachments and sexual encounters secret from their primary partner tended to report lower sexual satisfaction in that primary relationship.
“We were surprised by the finding that infidelity was not associated with worse outcomes,” Larva-Ruhala noted. “Both studies suggest that, on average, having multiple concurrent partners isn’t necessarily tied to poorer sexual health, whether through consensual or non-consensual non-monogamy.”
The second study expanded the investigation to a population level, utilizing a pooled dataset of 10,503 participants from Finland. This dataset combined responses from genetic and behavioral research projects. Participants self-reported their relationship structure and completed broad measures of sexual wellbeing.
For women, this included overall sexual desire and functioning. For men, the researchers assessed premature ejaculatory symptoms, meaning how well they could control ejaculation. The study also measured general dyadic desire, which is the level of sexual interest a person feels toward an attractive partner.
To ensure fair comparisons between the small fraction of non-monogamous individuals and the large monogamous majority, the researchers statistically matched participants on factors like age, gender, and sociosexual orientation, a measure of how willing a person is to engage in uncommitted sex. They also controlled for whether the couples lived together and the gender of their partners.
This approach provided a unique advantage over previous work. “The method used in Study 2 is important for the current research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala explained. “Most studies… use data collected from online surveys that people in [consensually non-monogamous] relationships opt into, which is partly necessary in order to obtain a big enough pool of participants to conduct the analyses we want to do, but it also means heavy selection-bias.”
“People who are generally happy in their relationships and interested in representing their relationship configuration may be more quick to participate in these surveys,” she added. “However, study 2 used data from population-representative samples in studies not focused on [consensual non-monogamy], so we can assume people all across the board completed the survey, lowering some of that bias. It improves the generalizability of the results.”
In this population-based sample, non-monogamous men reported fewer early ejaculatory symptoms than monogamous men. Non-monogamous women reported higher global sexual desire than monogamous women. Both men and women in non-monogamous relationships reported slightly greater dyadic desire.
Again, when the researchers specifically isolated the effects of infidelity, defined here as cheating or having partners who were unaware and non-consenting, they found no effect on these sexual health outcomes. This broader lack of negative effects aligns with a major review covered by PsyPost earlier this year, which found that consensually non-monogamous individuals report levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction that are statistically indistinguishable from those of monogamous couples.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The studies relied entirely on self-reported measures of sexual functioning and health, which can sometimes differ from objective physiological indicators or medical records. People might misremember their history of sexually transmitted infections or bias their answers to appear in a more favorable light.
Additionally, the first study grouped some participants under the broad umbrella of non-monogamy without distinguishing the specific agreements they had with their partners, such as whether they cohabitate or adhere to strict relationship hierarchies. The measure of infidelity in the second study also combined current and past cheating, meaning some participants may have reconciled with their partners long ago, potentially diluting the measurable impact of the infidelity on current sexual health. Future research could benefit from tracking couples over time to see how relationship structures and sexual health influence each other as relationship agreements evolve.
“Just because we didn’t find many differences in sexual health between those who cheat and those who practice ‘ethical’ forms of non-monogamy, doesn’t mean that doing one or the other is of no consequence,” Larva-Ruhala emphasized. “The results certainly don’t condone infidelity. They simply show that people can maintain sexual health under both versions of non-monogamy.”
To build on these findings, the research team hopes to see this work expanded. “We need replication research to validate or contradict these findings with further evidence, preferably in population-based samples from other countries,” she said.
The study, “Sexual Health in Monogamous and Non-Monogamous Relationships: Evidence From Convenience and Population-Based Samples,” was authored by Michelle A. Larva, David L. Rodrigues, Annika Gunst, Patrick Jern, Sabina Nickull, Marie-Pier Larose, Markus J. Rantala, and Justin K. Mogilski.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SexualHealth #NonMonogamy #ConsensualNonMonogamy #OpenRelationships #Polyamory #SexualSatisfaction #SafeSex #Infidelity #RelationshipResearch #MonogamyMyth
-
DATE: September 12, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Having multiple partners does not compromise sexual health, large study finds
A recent study published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships provides evidence that engaging in multiple romantic or sexual relationships does not compromise sexual health. Across two large datasets, researchers found that people in non-monogamous relationships, whether through mutual consent or secrecy, tended to report sexual functioning, satisfaction, and health outcomes that were comparable to, and in some cases slightly better than, those of people in strictly monogamous relationships.
Consensual non-monogamy involves partners mutually agreeing to allow outside romantic or sexual relationships, such as in polyamory or swinging. Infidelity, by contrast, involves engaging in outside relationships secretly and without a partner’s consent.
It is a common assumption that monogamy is inherently safer and more satisfying, but prior work paints a different picture. A study covered by PsyPost in 2016 found that more than one in five single American adults have engaged in consensual non-monogamy at some point. Following this demographic realization, research has sought to understand how these relationship structures operate. For instance, a 2015 study found that people in mutually agreed-upon open relationships were just as likely to practice safe sex and had similar rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to monogamous couples.
Expanding on that, a 2012 study indicated that people who cheat on their partners tend to be less likely to practice safer sex than those in openly non-monogamous relationships. In terms of sexual satisfaction, a 2019 study suggested that polyamorous individuals often experience higher levels of passion and eroticism with secondary partners than with their primary partners.
The current study builds on this progression by testing whether sexual functioning, desire, and the risk of sexually transmitted infections actually differ across relationship types. By strictly distinguishing between consensual non-monogamy and secret infidelity, the researchers used both targeted and large representative population datasets to answer this question.
The research was led by Michelle Larva-Ruhala, a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku’s INVEST Research Flagship Centre in Finland, who aimed to capture a comprehensive picture of how managing multiple partners influences sexual wellbeing.
“We addressed two gaps in research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala told PsyPost. “Firstly, we know from previous research that [consensually non-monogamous] relationships are similar to monogamous relationships in relationship quality and sexual satisfaction, but sexual functioning among people with multiple partners has not been studied outside the context of infidelity.”
“Second, the presumption has been that the transparent, negotiated, ‘ethical’ nature of (consensual) non-monogamy is what leads to these better outcomes and sets it apart from infidelity, which we associate with lower quality, conflict, etc.,” she continued. “So, in a nutshell, we wanted to know if having other partners had any ‘spillover effects’ into the bedroom, and whether the consensual vs. non-consensual nature of the non-monogamy had anything to do with it.”
The researchers utilized a two-study approach. In the first study, the team analyzed data from 888 adults recruited through an online survey across multiple countries, including the United States, Portugal, Italy, and Finland. Participants reported their relationship identity as either monogamous or consensually non-monogamous, which included categories like polyamory and open relationships. They also answered questions about how often their interactions with others felt like infidelity or involved keeping sexual and emotional secrets from their primary partner.
To measure sexual functioning, the survey used validated questionnaires assessing domains like desire, arousal, lubrication, and satisfaction for women, and erection, ejaculation, and satisfaction for men. Participants with multiple partners completed these measures for up to two partners. The survey also asked about participants’ history of testing for and being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.
The results of the first study showed that sexual functioning was largely similar between monogamous and non-monogamous individuals. However, partner-specific differences emerged. Women with multiple partners reported greater sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction with their non-primary partners compared to their primary partners, and their scores with non-primary partners were also higher than the scores reported by single-partnered women.
These findings are in line with research covered by PsyPost in 2019, which found that polyamorous individuals report greater eroticism with secondary partners, suggesting they may diversify how their sexual needs are fulfilled across different relationships. Among men, sexual functioning did not differ by relationship type or between partners.
When looking at sexual health practices, polyamorous individuals were 3.6 times more likely to have ever been tested for a sexually transmitted infection compared to monogamous individuals. Despite this higher rate of testing and having more partners, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infection diagnoses did not differ between the two groups.
For the most part, infidelity was not linked to worse sexual functioning. There was one exception: men who reported keeping emotional attachments and sexual encounters secret from their primary partner tended to report lower sexual satisfaction in that primary relationship.
“We were surprised by the finding that infidelity was not associated with worse outcomes,” Larva-Ruhala noted. “Both studies suggest that, on average, having multiple concurrent partners isn’t necessarily tied to poorer sexual health, whether through consensual or non-consensual non-monogamy.”
The second study expanded the investigation to a population level, utilizing a pooled dataset of 10,503 participants from Finland. This dataset combined responses from genetic and behavioral research projects. Participants self-reported their relationship structure and completed broad measures of sexual wellbeing.
For women, this included overall sexual desire and functioning. For men, the researchers assessed premature ejaculatory symptoms, meaning how well they could control ejaculation. The study also measured general dyadic desire, which is the level of sexual interest a person feels toward an attractive partner.
To ensure fair comparisons between the small fraction of non-monogamous individuals and the large monogamous majority, the researchers statistically matched participants on factors like age, gender, and sociosexual orientation, a measure of how willing a person is to engage in uncommitted sex. They also controlled for whether the couples lived together and the gender of their partners.
This approach provided a unique advantage over previous work. “The method used in Study 2 is important for the current research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala explained. “Most studies… use data collected from online surveys that people in [consensually non-monogamous] relationships opt into, which is partly necessary in order to obtain a big enough pool of participants to conduct the analyses we want to do, but it also means heavy selection-bias.”
“People who are generally happy in their relationships and interested in representing their relationship configuration may be more quick to participate in these surveys,” she added. “However, study 2 used data from population-representative samples in studies not focused on [consensual non-monogamy], so we can assume people all across the board completed the survey, lowering some of that bias. It improves the generalizability of the results.”
In this population-based sample, non-monogamous men reported fewer early ejaculatory symptoms than monogamous men. Non-monogamous women reported higher global sexual desire than monogamous women. Both men and women in non-monogamous relationships reported slightly greater dyadic desire.
Again, when the researchers specifically isolated the effects of infidelity, defined here as cheating or having partners who were unaware and non-consenting, they found no effect on these sexual health outcomes. This broader lack of negative effects aligns with a major review covered by PsyPost earlier this year, which found that consensually non-monogamous individuals report levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction that are statistically indistinguishable from those of monogamous couples.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The studies relied entirely on self-reported measures of sexual functioning and health, which can sometimes differ from objective physiological indicators or medical records. People might misremember their history of sexually transmitted infections or bias their answers to appear in a more favorable light.
Additionally, the first study grouped some participants under the broad umbrella of non-monogamy without distinguishing the specific agreements they had with their partners, such as whether they cohabitate or adhere to strict relationship hierarchies. The measure of infidelity in the second study also combined current and past cheating, meaning some participants may have reconciled with their partners long ago, potentially diluting the measurable impact of the infidelity on current sexual health. Future research could benefit from tracking couples over time to see how relationship structures and sexual health influence each other as relationship agreements evolve.
“Just because we didn’t find many differences in sexual health between those who cheat and those who practice ‘ethical’ forms of non-monogamy, doesn’t mean that doing one or the other is of no consequence,” Larva-Ruhala emphasized. “The results certainly don’t condone infidelity. They simply show that people can maintain sexual health under both versions of non-monogamy.”
To build on these findings, the research team hopes to see this work expanded. “We need replication research to validate or contradict these findings with further evidence, preferably in population-based samples from other countries,” she said.
The study, “Sexual Health in Monogamous and Non-Monogamous Relationships: Evidence From Convenience and Population-Based Samples,” was authored by Michelle A. Larva, David L. Rodrigues, Annika Gunst, Patrick Jern, Sabina Nickull, Marie-Pier Larose, Markus J. Rantala, and Justin K. Mogilski.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #SexualHealth #NonMonogamy #ConsensualNonMonogamy #OpenRelationships #Polyamory #SexualSatisfaction #SafeSex #Infidelity #RelationshipResearch #MonogamyMyth
-
DATE: September 12, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Having multiple partners does not compromise sexual health, large study finds
A recent study published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships provides evidence that engaging in multiple romantic or sexual relationships does not compromise sexual health. Across two large datasets, researchers found that people in non-monogamous relationships, whether through mutual consent or secrecy, tended to report sexual functioning, satisfaction, and health outcomes that were comparable to, and in some cases slightly better than, those of people in strictly monogamous relationships.
Consensual non-monogamy involves partners mutually agreeing to allow outside romantic or sexual relationships, such as in polyamory or swinging. Infidelity, by contrast, involves engaging in outside relationships secretly and without a partner’s consent.
It is a common assumption that monogamy is inherently safer and more satisfying, but prior work paints a different picture. A study covered by PsyPost in 2016 found that more than one in five single American adults have engaged in consensual non-monogamy at some point. Following this demographic realization, research has sought to understand how these relationship structures operate. For instance, a 2015 study found that people in mutually agreed-upon open relationships were just as likely to practice safe sex and had similar rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to monogamous couples.
Expanding on that, a 2012 study indicated that people who cheat on their partners tend to be less likely to practice safer sex than those in openly non-monogamous relationships. In terms of sexual satisfaction, a 2019 study suggested that polyamorous individuals often experience higher levels of passion and eroticism with secondary partners than with their primary partners.
The current study builds on this progression by testing whether sexual functioning, desire, and the risk of sexually transmitted infections actually differ across relationship types. By strictly distinguishing between consensual non-monogamy and secret infidelity, the researchers used both targeted and large representative population datasets to answer this question.
The research was led by Michelle Larva-Ruhala, a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku’s INVEST Research Flagship Centre in Finland, who aimed to capture a comprehensive picture of how managing multiple partners influences sexual wellbeing.
“We addressed two gaps in research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala told PsyPost. “Firstly, we know from previous research that [consensually non-monogamous] relationships are similar to monogamous relationships in relationship quality and sexual satisfaction, but sexual functioning among people with multiple partners has not been studied outside the context of infidelity.”
“Second, the presumption has been that the transparent, negotiated, ‘ethical’ nature of (consensual) non-monogamy is what leads to these better outcomes and sets it apart from infidelity, which we associate with lower quality, conflict, etc.,” she continued. “So, in a nutshell, we wanted to know if having other partners had any ‘spillover effects’ into the bedroom, and whether the consensual vs. non-consensual nature of the non-monogamy had anything to do with it.”
The researchers utilized a two-study approach. In the first study, the team analyzed data from 888 adults recruited through an online survey across multiple countries, including the United States, Portugal, Italy, and Finland. Participants reported their relationship identity as either monogamous or consensually non-monogamous, which included categories like polyamory and open relationships. They also answered questions about how often their interactions with others felt like infidelity or involved keeping sexual and emotional secrets from their primary partner.
To measure sexual functioning, the survey used validated questionnaires assessing domains like desire, arousal, lubrication, and satisfaction for women, and erection, ejaculation, and satisfaction for men. Participants with multiple partners completed these measures for up to two partners. The survey also asked about participants’ history of testing for and being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections.
The results of the first study showed that sexual functioning was largely similar between monogamous and non-monogamous individuals. However, partner-specific differences emerged. Women with multiple partners reported greater sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction with their non-primary partners compared to their primary partners, and their scores with non-primary partners were also higher than the scores reported by single-partnered women.
These findings are in line with research covered by PsyPost in 2019, which found that polyamorous individuals report greater eroticism with secondary partners, suggesting they may diversify how their sexual needs are fulfilled across different relationships. Among men, sexual functioning did not differ by relationship type or between partners.
When looking at sexual health practices, polyamorous individuals were 3.6 times more likely to have ever been tested for a sexually transmitted infection compared to monogamous individuals. Despite this higher rate of testing and having more partners, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infection diagnoses did not differ between the two groups.
For the most part, infidelity was not linked to worse sexual functioning. There was one exception: men who reported keeping emotional attachments and sexual encounters secret from their primary partner tended to report lower sexual satisfaction in that primary relationship.
“We were surprised by the finding that infidelity was not associated with worse outcomes,” Larva-Ruhala noted. “Both studies suggest that, on average, having multiple concurrent partners isn’t necessarily tied to poorer sexual health, whether through consensual or non-consensual non-monogamy.”
The second study expanded the investigation to a population level, utilizing a pooled dataset of 10,503 participants from Finland. This dataset combined responses from genetic and behavioral research projects. Participants self-reported their relationship structure and completed broad measures of sexual wellbeing.
For women, this included overall sexual desire and functioning. For men, the researchers assessed premature ejaculatory symptoms, meaning how well they could control ejaculation. The study also measured general dyadic desire, which is the level of sexual interest a person feels toward an attractive partner.
To ensure fair comparisons between the small fraction of non-monogamous individuals and the large monogamous majority, the researchers statistically matched participants on factors like age, gender, and sociosexual orientation, a measure of how willing a person is to engage in uncommitted sex. They also controlled for whether the couples lived together and the gender of their partners.
This approach provided a unique advantage over previous work. “The method used in Study 2 is important for the current research on [consensual non-monogamy],” Larva-Ruhala explained. “Most studies… use data collected from online surveys that people in [consensually non-monogamous] relationships opt into, which is partly necessary in order to obtain a big enough pool of participants to conduct the analyses we want to do, but it also means heavy selection-bias.”
“People who are generally happy in their relationships and interested in representing their relationship configuration may be more quick to participate in these surveys,” she added. “However, study 2 used data from population-representative samples in studies not focused on [consensual non-monogamy], so we can assume people all across the board completed the survey, lowering some of that bias. It improves the generalizability of the results.”
In this population-based sample, non-monogamous men reported fewer early ejaculatory symptoms than monogamous men. Non-monogamous women reported higher global sexual desire than monogamous women. Both men and women in non-monogamous relationships reported slightly greater dyadic desire.
Again, when the researchers specifically isolated the effects of infidelity, defined here as cheating or having partners who were unaware and non-consenting, they found no effect on these sexual health outcomes. This broader lack of negative effects aligns with a major review covered by PsyPost earlier this year, which found that consensually non-monogamous individuals report levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction that are statistically indistinguishable from those of monogamous couples.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The studies relied entirely on self-reported measures of sexual functioning and health, which can sometimes differ from objective physiological indicators or medical records. People might misremember their history of sexually transmitted infections or bias their answers to appear in a more favorable light.
Additionally, the first study grouped some participants under the broad umbrella of non-monogamy without distinguishing the specific agreements they had with their partners, such as whether they cohabitate or adhere to strict relationship hierarchies. The measure of infidelity in the second study also combined current and past cheating, meaning some participants may have reconciled with their partners long ago, potentially diluting the measurable impact of the infidelity on current sexual health. Future research could benefit from tracking couples over time to see how relationship structures and sexual health influence each other as relationship agreements evolve.
“Just because we didn’t find many differences in sexual health between those who cheat and those who practice ‘ethical’ forms of non-monogamy, doesn’t mean that doing one or the other is of no consequence,” Larva-Ruhala emphasized. “The results certainly don’t condone infidelity. They simply show that people can maintain sexual health under both versions of non-monogamy.”
To build on these findings, the research team hopes to see this work expanded. “We need replication research to validate or contradict these findings with further evidence, preferably in population-based samples from other countries,” she said.
The study, “Sexual Health in Monogamous and Non-Monogamous Relationships: Evidence From Convenience and Population-Based Samples,” was authored by Michelle A. Larva, David L. Rodrigues, Annika Gunst, Patrick Jern, Sabina Nickull, Marie-Pier Larose, Markus J. Rantala, and Justin K. Mogilski.
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Kink Communities: Beyond the Stereotypes
Originally Published on December 16th, 2025 at 08:00 amA Major UK Study Reveals Some Surprising Facts About Kink Communities
Media portrayals of niche sexual interests like BDSM, pet play, and furries often lean into sensationalism, painting participants as psychologically deviant or driven by singular, extreme fetishes. These stereotypes, while dramatic, rarely reflect the lived experiences of people within these communities. This leaves a significant gap between public perception of kink communities and reality.
A recent scientific investigation, “A Survey of the United Kink-dom,” offers a rare, data-driven look into these worlds. Published in The Journal of Sex Research, this study surveyed 470 UK-based participants involved in five distinct interest groups:
- BDSM
- Age play
- Pet play
- Furries
- Balloon fetishists
The research provides one of the most comprehensive datasets to date on the demographics, psychology, and behaviors of these communities.
This article distills the five most surprising and stereotype-busting findings from this rigorous research. By moving past the hype and focusing on the evidence, we can begin to build a more nuanced and accurate understanding of kink communities and their members.
1. Most People Are Into More Than One Thing
Contrary to the idea that people belong to distinct and separate fetish groups, the study found a very high degree of overlapping interests. The data shows that having a single, isolated interest is actually the exception, not the rule.
Only 19% of the 470 participants reported having just one of the five paraphilic interests investigated. The majority had two (37.8%) or three (31.5%).
This finding is significant because it suggests these interests are not isolated quirks. They are often part of a broader exploration of non-normative identity and sexuality. The researchers identified specific patterns of co-occurrence.
For instance, there was a strong link between pet play and furry interests. This makes sense due to their shared themes of animal personification. Similarly, BDSM, which is defined by power dynamics, showed significant overlap with pet play. This is another of the groups in the study that centrally involve power exchange roles.
Check out the latest research on fetishes and criminality:
Read more articles about BDSM.
2. Kink Communities Deviate Sharply from Population Norms
When the researchers compared their sample to UK national statistics on sexual orientation and relationship styles, they found dramatic differences.
Across all five groups studied, participants reported significantly lower levels of heterosexual identity and much higher rates of gay/lesbian and bisexual identities than the general population.
For example, while 94.6% of the UK population identifies as heterosexual, the rate within the BDSM group was just 37.8%.
The study also found substantially higher rates of non-monogamy compared to population estimates. A 2.4% rate from a representative Canadian sample was used as a benchmark in the absence of equivalent UK data.
This finding supports a growing body of research suggesting these communities often function as welcoming spaces for individuals whose identities and relationship models are marginalized elsewhere. The study’s authors summarize the scale of this difference concisely:
Findings demonstrated groups differed significantly from population patterns of sexual orientation and relationship style, with effect sizes for these comparisons being large.
3. The “Psychopathic Dominant” is a Myth
A persistent and damaging stereotype suggests that individuals who enjoy dominant roles in BDSM must harbor “darker” personality traits. These traits inlcude:
- Narcissism
- Machiavellianism
- Psychopathy
This idea pathologizes practitioners by linking consensual power exchange with antisocial characteristics.
The “United Kink-dom” study directly tested this hypothesis by measuring these “Dark Triad” traits across different BDSM role identities:
- Dominant
- Submissive
- Switch (individuals who enjoy both roles)
The results were definitive: there were no significant differences in Dark Triad traits based on BDSM role.
People who identified with dominant roles did not score higher on measures of Machiavellianism, narcissism, or psychopathy than those in submissive or switch roles. This finding provides strong empirical evidence that debunks a harmful myth and supports previous research showing that BDSM practitioners generally have mental health profiles comparable to the general population.
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4. The Study Found Little Support for the Most Damaging Stereotypes in Kink Communities
The study carefully and sensitively investigated the most stigmatizing stereotypes the links between
- Age play and pedophilia
- Pet play/furries and zoophilia
The researchers’ goal was to see if these consensual adult role-playing activities were being used as a substitute for harmful, non-consensual interests.
The findings were more complex than a simple “myth-busted” headline would suggest.
For age play, the data showed that the vast majority of participants did not report any pedophilic arousal. However, a minority (14.1%) did report some level of arousal to pedophilic fantasy.
The researchers provide crucial context, noting that while their data “largely does not support stereotypes,” this rate of self-reported arousal is higher than the estimated prevalence of pedophilia in the general population (up to 5%).
A similar pattern emerged for pet play and furries within Kink Communities.
While most participants in these groups expressed “repulsion” to the idea of sex with animals, a minority reported some arousal to zoophilic fantasy (23.6% of pet players and 28.9% of furries).
Again, the researchers note that these rates are higher than the general population estimate for zoophilia (up to 8%).
For the overwhelming majority, consensual adult role-play is distinct from harmful acts, but the data reveals a nuanced reality that defies simple caricature.
5. Kink Can Be a Non-Sexual Identity
A common assumption is that participation in kink communities is always and exclusively about sexual gratification. However, the study’s data challenges this idea, revealing that for many, these interests are a multifaceted part of their identity that isn’t always tied to sex.
A significant minority of participants, particularly among pet players and furries, reported that they did not pair their interests with sexual acts.
Across the groups, “10–35% reported never pairing this with sex,” with furries (35.1%) and pet players (26.7%) being the most likely to engage non-sexually. Furthermore, when asked how much they viewed their interest as part of their “sexual orientation,” the study found a “bimodal distribution.”
This means participants tended to answer at the extremes: many saw it as absolutely central to their sexual identity, while many others saw it as not at all important.
This highlights that for a substantial portion of these communities, the appeal is not primarily sexual. Instead, it lies in social connection, psychological expression, and creative world-building – crystallized in practices like developing a detailed “fursona,” or animal character, which can be entirely separate from sexual gratification.
A More Complex Picture of Kink Communities
The “A Survey of the United Kink-dom” study provides a powerful, evidence-based counter-narrative to the prevailing stereotypes about kink communities.
The findings paint a picture of a world that is far more diverse, psychologically comparable to the general population, and less pathological than often portrayed.
It reveals communities that are highly interconnected, disproportionately queer and non-monogamous, and driven by a wide range of motivations that often extend well beyond sex.
This research underscores that the lived reality of people with non-normative sexual interests is more complex and far more human than caricature allows. As data replaces caricature, the central question is no longer if these communities are pathological, but how their complex networks of identity, creativity, and non-normative relationships challenge our broader cultural definitions of sexuality itself.
Be Part of the Kink Community Conversation
Do you participate in a kink community? How do you view kink communities? Drop a comment below and tell me about your non-explicit experiences!
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Are you looking for more reputable data-backed information on sexual addiction? The Mitigation Aide Research Archive is an excellent source for executive summaries of research studies.
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