McKnight Emily N, Jasso-González Jailyn, Landor Antoinette M
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, 2330 Palmer Building, 2222 Osborn Drive, Ames, IA, 50011-1084, USA.
Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
Arch Sex Behav. 2025 Jun;54(6):2151-2166. doi: 10.1007/s10508-025-03171-w. Epub 2025 Jun 23.
Sexual abstinence links to informed decision-making, healthier relationships, and stable marriages. However, our understanding of those who remain sexually abstinent until marriage is limited, especially regarding sexual expectations and satisfaction post-marriage. Additionally, there is a lack of research on sexual abstinence among African-Americans, a group facing unique relational disparities. This study investigated the perceived impact of premarital sexual abstinence on the sexual experiences of married African-American couples-a qualitative phenomenological study involving semi-structured interviews with 38 couples (N = 76). Thematic analysis revealed a primary theme: a disconnect between premarital sexual expectations and post-marital experiences, comprising five areas: (1) sexual expectations after abstinence, (2) the reality of their sexual experiences, (3) contributors to initial sexual challenges, (4) strategies to address challenges, and (5) their overall perception of how abstinence affected their sex life once married. Participants noted that while initial expectations weren't met, sexual quality and satisfaction improved over time. This study offers the first detailed insights into premarital sexual abstinence and its impact on post-marriage sexual experiences within an African-American sample. The findings emphasize implications for research, practice, and clergy that support couples in this premarital choice.
性禁欲与明智的决策、更健康的关系以及稳定的婚姻相关。然而，我们对那些在婚前保持性禁欲的人的了解有限，尤其是在性期望和婚后满意度方面。此外，针对面临独特关系差异的非裔美国人的性禁欲研究匮乏。本研究调查了婚前性禁欲对已婚非裔美国夫妇性体验的感知影响——一项定性现象学研究，对38对夫妇（N = 76）进行了半结构化访谈。主题分析揭示了一个主要主题：婚前性期望与婚后经历之间的脱节，包括五个方面：（1）禁欲后的性期望，（2）他们性体验的现实情况，（3）最初性挑战的促成因素，（4）应对挑战的策略，以及（5）他们对禁欲如何影响婚后性生活的总体看法。参与者指出，虽然最初的期望未得到满足，但随着时间的推移，性质量和满意度有所提高。本研究首次详细洞察了非裔美国人样本中婚前性禁欲及其对婚后性体验的影响。研究结果强调了对支持夫妇做出这种婚前选择的研究、实践和神职人员的启示。
