“Cougars” dating toyboys are happier and more sexually satisfied than women who are in relationships with men their age, a surprising new study has found.
Psychology professors from London Metropolitan University recruited 24 women for their research, published in the journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy.
The study found that the cougars scored higher in three different surveyed categories, seeming to rebuke the stereotype that age-gap relationships are emotionally vapid and fueled only by physical desires.
“This study questions the preconceived notion that women in relationships with younger men are any less fulfilling or successful than those in similar relationships,” lead researcher Samantha Banbury declared in the academic article, noting that “research examining age-gap relationships is sparse, particularly on women who date younger men.”
Seventeen of the women recruited for the project were “cougars,” meaning that they were dating men between seven and 10 years younger than themselves. The remaining seven women were in relationships with men approximately their own age.
The surveyed cougars had a mean age of 45, while the other group had a mean age of 42 years, meaning that the two groups had a relatively even base from which to compare.
Each of the women was subsequently surveyed about their levels of emotional intelligence (E.I.), sexual self-efficacy (SSE) and subjective happiness (S.H.)
Sexual self-efficacy pertains to both sexual confidence and satisfaction, while emotional intelligence is described as the ability to perceive and express emotions.
The team admitted that they only surveyed a small sample of women and are now hoping to expand the number of women involved in their research to see whether they reach the same findings.
“Society tends to view women who date younger men more critically than older men who date younger women,” Banbury asserted.
“There needs to be more research in the literature looking at older women who date younger men, and we wanted to understand more about the qualities of these women compared to women who date men of a similar age group.”
While more academic research may be needed, numerous confessed cougars offer anecdotal evidence that their sex lives are sizzling hot.
Virginia mama Stephanie O’Shea, 42, recently dished details about her smoldering romance with her younger husband, Charlie, 29.
“I would say we are probably much more sexually active than many other long-term couples — it’s the best I’ve ever had,” O’Shea told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“We still flirt and swat at each other’s bottoms whenever we walk through the room.”
.
Source link
#Cougars #happier #sex #women #men #age #study