You have full access to this open access article. Age-related declines in multiple facets of sexuality in later life are well documented. However, most studies have been cross-sectional with data collected at one point in time, leaving questions about cohort differences and interrelated historical changes in physical health and psychosocial functioning unanswered. Later-born adults in late midlife reported attributing slightly higher importance to sexuality than their earlier-born peers and experiencing their sex life as slightly less pleasant. When controlling for socio-demographic, physical health, and psychosocial factors, cohort differences in perceived importance of sexuality remained significant, but those for enjoyment did not. Late-midlife sexuality undergoes historical changes. Specifically, reported perceived importance of sexuality has increased over historical dates sex health benefits, especially in particular population segments. Over the past decade, sexuality in midlife and old age has received increased attention Buczak-Stec et al. A number of studies converge in suggesting that several aspects of sexuality show on average age-related decrements, but a considerable proportion of adults continue having an active sex life into advanced ages Kolodziejczak et al. However, previous empirical reports were typically based on cross-sectional data collected at one specific point in time e. Thus, they did not allow disentangling age-related differences from those associated with the historical times people were born and living in. Thus, in the current study, we examined cohort differences in two aspects of late-midlife sexuality: the importance people attribute to sexuality and the extent to which they experience their sex life as pleasant. We also accounted for a comprehensive number of socio-demographic, physical health, and psychosocial correlates that are known to differ between individuals and across historical time Drewelies et al. Midlife is a life phase characterized by several unique developmental transitions Infurna et al. To illustrate, the menopausal transition may constitute a challenge for sexual functioning Avis et al. In a similar vein, late midlife is assumed to be the period of life of increasing risk of health problems e. On the other hand, sexuality remains for many adults a valuable aspect of life until old age, and a fulfilling sex life in older age is linked with indicators of successful aging Dates sex health benefits et al. Late midlife may thus be a critical period for maintaining a satisfying sex life into old age. In this study, we focused on two aspects of sexuality: perceived importance of sexuality and enjoyment of sex life, both crucial for a better understanding of individual differences in late-midlife sexuality. Previous studies have suggested that, for a considerable number of adults, sexuality remains a valuable aspect of life into old age Laumann et al. For example, higher within-couple discrepancy in the importance attributed to sex in middle and older age is related to more pronounced relationship strain Orr et al. Of note is that numerous studies have inferred the importance of sexuality in later life from the frequency of sexual activity reported by study participants. However, such operational definition is questionable, for example, because of the interest-activity gap Pfeiffer et al. Thus, empirical research should aim at using more direct measures of the importance people attribute to sexuality. Enjoyment of sexuality reflects the degree to which people experience their sex life as pleasurable. Examining enjoyment thus complements earlier empirical reports by moving beyond considering mere quantitative aspects of sexuality, such as the frequency of sexual activity. Life course sociology and lifespan psychology have long noted that individual functioning and development are profoundly shaped by the historical and socio-cultural contexts people are living in Baltes et al. Three sets of historical shifts over the past decades may have particularly contributed to changes in perception of sexuality in later life nowadays. First, the sexual revolution of the late s and early s might have particularly impacted adolescents and young adults at that time Forbes et al. The movement has spread more liberal attitudes toward sexuality that facilitated engagement with sex dates sex health benefits. In a similar vein, the Gay Rights movement of the s is often thought of as having had society-wide effects that profoundly shaped how people think about sexuality Shield, Assuming that such attitudes continue dates sex health benefits be relevant today DeLamater,we hypothesized that cohorts born after the Second World War value and enjoy their sex lives in late midlife more than earlier-born cohorts. Second, feminist societal movements in the s have broadened the debate on gender equality and promoted, among other things, sexual self-determination and sexual pleasure among women Rubin, As a consequence, we hypothesized that historical shifts in the perceived importance and enjoyment of sexuality are probably more pronounced among women than among men, with later-born women in late midlife reporting higher importance and more enjoyment of sexuality than earlier-born same-aged women. Third, more recent developments such as medical advancements over the past decades can also be expected to have shaped late-midlife sexuality. Such changes encompass increases in treatments of sexual dysfunction both in women e. Better sexual functioning presumably facilitates perceiving sexuality as important and engaging with sex life into old age. Likewise, easy access to medication that improves sexual function dates sex health benefits contribute to a more pleasurable sex life. Thus, this relationship might be bidirectional. Empirically, studies examining historical trends in sexuality have indeed reported cohort differences on its several dimensions. Specifically, later-born adults presumably remain sexually active until older age: Beckman, Waern, Östling, Sundh, and Skoog reported that a higher percentage of later-born Swedish year-olds engage with sex life today compared with their same-aged peers 20 years ago. Another study on adults in the US has shown historical decreases in the frequency of sexual activity among those in their 50s, but no decline among those over 60 Twenge et al. Later-born cohorts of older adults have also been found to report more positive attitudes to sexuality, higher satisfaction with sexuality, and fewer sexual dysfunctions than earlier-born cohorts Beckman et al.
The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results. Previous studies have suggested that, for a considerable number of adults, sexuality remains a valuable aspect of life into old age Laumann et al. Happy Propose Day The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 11 , — Previous work to map and evaluate existing literature has mostly focused on the operationalisation of gender [ 30 , 31 ] and not on providing a broad and systematic overview. Google Scholar Deeg, D.
Introduction
Important Of Sex To A Woman: Health Benefits Of Sex, Positive Effects of sex on Health, Importance Of Daily Sex, Importance Of Sex To A Woman During. behaviour. 16 A study in Kenya involving over 6, students showed that CSE. The reasons people have sex have been assumed to be few in number and simple in nature-to reproduce, to experience pleasure, or to relieve sexual tension. Later-born adults in late midlife reported attributing slightly higher importance to sexuality than their earlier-born peers and experiencing their sex life as. There is evidence that CSE has an impact on young people's sexual behaviour.Cohort differences in adult-life trajectories of internal and external control beliefs: A tale of more and better maintained internal control and fewer external constraints. The development of instruments for secondary analysis started in Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Second, feminist societal movements in the s have broadened the debate on gender equality and promoted, among other things, sexual self-determination and sexual pleasure among women Rubin, Stacey Ritz : Academic Editor. It can be inferred that both men and women in late midlife perceived sexuality as less important when they did not have a partner. Cohort Differences in Perceived Importance and Enjoyment of Sexuality Among Adults in Late Midlife. Growth modeling: Structural equation and multilevel modeling approaches. In the current research, the terms and the concepts of sex and gender are often confused or used inconsistently. Attrition in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Correlates of sexual activity and satisfaction in midlife and older women. Different populations may require the application of different instruments, and various research questions may ask for different dimensions of sex and gender to be studied. Even though it was developed in , the BSRI is still by far the most widely used instrument within the identified publications [ 1 , 27 , 28 ]. The extraction was carried out by one reviewer and then double—checked by a second independent reviewer. Being to some degree religious, attending church, or other forms of religious involvement Braam et al. Gender Differences in Perceived Importance of Sexuality and Cohort Differences in the Gender-by-Partner-Status Interaction Effect of on Importance of Sexuality Among Adults in Late Midlife. Considering the interaction effects, we note that the small numbers in the category groups might have limited our statistical power and result in very few significant interaction effects with cohort membership. Article PubMed Google Scholar Twenge, J. Journal of Aging and Health, 16 , — A final version of the charting form can be found in the supplement Supplementary Table S2. Article PubMed Google Scholar Baltes, P. On the contrary, the majority of the instruments applied for secondary analysis were developed in the fields of public health and medicine. In a similar vein, the Gay Rights movement of the s is often thought of as having had society-wide effects that profoundly shaped how people think about sexuality Shield, Article Google Scholar Baumeister, R. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44 , — However, most studies have been cross-sectional with data collected at one point in time, leaving questions about cohort differences and interrelated historical changes in physical health and psychosocial functioning unanswered. PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar.
