Marital satisfaction during recovery from self-identified sexual addiction among bisexual men and their wives

To learn the effect of the self-label of "sexual addict" on the marital adjustment of bisexual married men, we studied a specific subset who viewed their homosexual activities as addictive. Forty men and women, representing 22 marriages, were studied via telephone interviews and/or written surveys. All had committed to monogamy when they joined 12-step, self-help programs four months to six years previously. Current marriage ratings were good for 47%, average for 37%, and poor for 16% of couples. Ten couples (45%) believed their current sexual relationship was good, 27% rated it poor, and 27% were abstinent at the time of the study. Although a strong homosexual identity was associated with difficulties in marital satisfaction, viewing the same-sex activities as compulsive facilitated commitment to the marriage and to monogamy.