open-rel

…Well, this latest study seems to think so! The study, which comes from Christopher Stults at the University of New York looked at 10 couples (19-43) in open relationships, and included 45 minute interviews with each participant. The factors that Stults wanted to look at, were “how these relationships form and evolve over time, and examine the perceived relationship quality, relationship satisfaction, and potential risk for HIV/STI infection”.

Amongst the findings, Stults states: “My impression so far is that they don’t seem less satisfied, and it may even be that their communication is better than among monogamous couples because they’ve had to negotiate specific details.”

Of course they’re not LESS satisfied, they can go out and catch a dick whenever they want and still go home to their boyfriend if they fail. Of course, Stults comments regarding communication does hold some validity as to reach the point of agreeing to have sex outside of your relationship does require a form of comfortability and openness.

In fact, his results suggested they were “happier” and their relationships “more fulfilling”. But whether this is due solely to the nature of their relationships can’t exactly be determined. For example, people that are willing to have open relationships have a different personality type to those that would reject the idea. You might even suggest that they would be more liberal; and it wouldn’t require a psychologist to put forward that those who are more laid back tend me be less stressed out, and therefore less unhappy that others.

Although we do question on what scale “happiness” was measured, and to which closed relationships they are comparing them too. But would it really be that big of surprise that when you remove the element of jealous, adultery from a relationship that they might be ‘happier’ in a more general sense?

One participant defended his decision: “We’ve run into gay and straight people who have assumed our relationship is ‘lesser than’ because we’re not monogamous. I think that’s offensive and ridiculous.”

While the study has since been criticised by a number of monogamous gay men, Lucas from Brighton, claiming: “If you can allow your boyfriend to have sex with another man, then you obviously don’t love him enough”.

We’re guessing this topic isn’t exactly cut and dry.

[H/T: Pink News]