How important is sex in middle age and older age? Ageist stereotypes may play a role

Understanding partners' intimate lives can help to discern relationship satisfaction. There are various stereotypes around sex life, especially among older people. If a person internalizes stereotypes, i.e., accepts them as their own, they can influence their behavior and think about themselves. How might ageist stereotypes relate to partner life and relationship satisfaction in older adults?

That is the topic of a new study by Veronika Gocieková, Andrea Stašek, Anna Ševčíková, and Gabriela Gore-Gorszewska. The INPSY researchers examined how perpetuated age-discriminatory sexual stereotypes are related to aspects of sexual and partner life. They observed the effect of stereotypes in men and women aged 50 and older.

They focused on:

• the importance of sex
• frequency of sex and satisfaction with it
• satisfaction in the relationship
• sexual difficulties
• subjective health

The online questionnaire was completed by 897 respondents from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The authors used the network modeling method for the analysis.

What are the effects of ageist stereotypes?

The findings suggest that ageist stereotypes about sex life may be related to how people aged 50+ interpret the sexual difficulties they face. They may also be linked to the perceived importance of sex. The less the participants had their stereotypes internalized, the fewer sexual difficulties they reported (for women, difficulties related to vaginal dryness, for men, to erection problems). At the same time, they considered sex to be a more important part of the relationship.

The results also suggest that ageist stereotypes weaken the negative relationship between sexual difficulties and the importance of sex. This means that because of internalized stereotypes, some older adults may perceive sex as less important, which may contribute to how they cope with sexual difficulties.

The influence of ageist stereotypes was not found for frequency of sexual intercourse and satisfaction with it, relationship satisfaction and subjective health.

The researchers also looked at the association between frequency of sex and partner satisfaction. The results of this research were the same for both men and women. Acceptance of sexual stereotypes is more likely when the frequency of sex decreases and its importance decreases. The findings suggest that people aged 50+ who have sex more frequently consider it important and presumably key to sexual satisfaction and related relationship satisfaction.

How is health related to relationship satisfaction?

A study suggests a link between subjective health and relationship satisfaction in women. A possible explanation is that women often stereotype themselves as the main caregiver in a relationship, which can interfere with their health problems, and this can lead to lower relationship satisfaction. This association did not emerge for men, as when their health deteriorates, it may lead to more attention from female partners.

Research findings reveal the important but complex role of ageist sexual stereotypes in the partner lives of adults aged 50+. The study underscores the need to examine the context of how sexual stereotypes emerge and how they affect sexual and relationship satisfaction. The findings may provide important insights for clinical practice and the provision of tailored care for older adults.

Recommended citation:

Gocieková, V., Stašek, A., Ševčíková, A., & Gore-Gorszewska, G. (2024). The Role of Ageist Sexual Stereotypes in the Network of Sexual Difficulties, Sex and Relationship Satisfaction Among Adults Aged 50+. The Journal of Sex Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2024.2307441

Translated using DeepL.