Sexual Satisfaction in Malta

Almost half of the participants (44.0%) in the study reported being very happy with their sex lives; 34.1% were happy; 14.3% were neither happy nor unhappy; 4.7% were not happy and 2.9% were not happy at all with their sex lives. The average score was 4.12 (min. score = 1, max. score = 5). These scores were similar to international research. For example, in a Spanish dominated sample, the average sexual satisfaction level was 2.09 ± 0.83 (min. score = 0, max. score = 3) (Ogallar-Blanco et al., 2022). 

The average sexual satisfaction level of females was slightly higher than that of males (female μ = 4.15; male μ = 4.09). This is also in line with other international research such as Park and MacDonald’s (2022) findings in Canada, wherein females’ average score of sexual satisfaction was 4.06 ± 1.95, whilst that of males was 3.45 ± 1.86. 

The youngest age group (18-25 years) reported being the most sexually satisfied (μ = 4.37; min. score =1, max. score = 5), whilst the least sexually satisfied age group were individuals who were 66 years and older (μ = 3.53). The average score of individuals who are 26-35 years old was 4.29, individuals who are between 36 and 45 years old had an average score of 4.17, those aged between 46 and 55 years had an average score of 4.22 and those aged between 56 and 65 had an average score of 4.20. In a sample of 1343 women from the US, the results were similar: sexual satisfaction decreased as individuals grew older. On the other hand, Træen and colleagues (2019) looked at the sexual satisfaction of a large sample of individuals aged between 60 and 75 years old from Norway, Denmark, Belgium and Portugal. Overall, Portuguese men were the most sexually satisfied, with the mean score being 3.44 ± 1.08, whilst Belgian men were the least sexually satisfied, with the mean score being 3.08 ± 1.09. On the other hand, Danish women were the most sexually satisfied, with the mean score being 3.50 ± 0.99, whilst Belgian women were the least sexually satisfied with the mean score being 3.18 ± 1.09 (Træen et al., 2019). 

The individuals who were in a relationship reported being the most sexually satisfied (μ = 4.43), followed by individuals who were married (μ = 4.25), individuals who were separated, divorced or annulled (μ = 3.81), individuals who were single (μ = 3.59) and individuals who were widowed (μ = 2.87). Similarly, a study found that women who were sexually active in a commited relationship were more sexually satisfied than women who were having casual sex. Additionally, women who had had sex both in a commited relationship and casually reported that they were more sexually satisfied by sexual activity in a commited relationship rather than on a casual level (Wongsonboom, 2019). 

Those who had a trade school level of education were the most sexually satisfied (μ = 4.33), followed by those who had a tertiary level of education (μ = 4.24), individuals who had a post-secondary level of education (μ = 4.21), individuals with a secondary level of education (μ = 4.08) and participants with a primary level of education (μ = 3.22).

Moreover, individuals who lived in the Southern Harbour were the most sexually satisfied (μ = 4.45), followed by Gozo and Comino residents (μ = 4.27), those who lived in the Northern Harbour (μ = 4.21), those who lived in the Northern district (μ = 4.12), followed by the Western district (μ = 4.11) and the least sexually satisfied were those living in the South Eastern district (μ = 3.64). 

References

Ogallar-Blanco, A. I., Lara-Moreno, R., & Godoy-Izquierdo, D. (2022). Going beyond “With a Partner” and “Intercourse”: Does Anything Else Influence Sexual Satisfaction among Women? The Sexual Satisfaction Comprehensive Index. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(16), 10232.

Park, Y., & MacDonald, G. (2022). Single and partnered individuals’ sexual satisfaction as a function of sexual desire and activities: Results using a sexual satisfaction scale demonstrating measurement invariance across partnership status. Archives of sexual behavior, 1-18.

Træen, B., Štulhofer, A., Janssen, E., Carvalheira, A. A., Hald, G. M., Lange, T., & Graham, C. (2019). Sexual activity and sexual satisfaction among older adults in four European countries. Archives of sexual behavior, 48, 815-829.

Wongsomboon, V., Burleson, M. H., & Webster, G. D. (2020). Women’s orgasm and sexual satisfaction in committed sex and casual sex: Relationship between sociosexuality and sexual outcomes in different sexual contexts. The Journal of Sex Research, 57(3), 285-295.