Sex Talk: Churchgoers have more frequent, quality sex

What the report says

A new report from the Institute for Family Studies, based in Charlottesville, Virginia, says married adults who regularly attend church report more frequent sex and higher sexual satisfaction than those who attend less often or are not religious. The findings draw on several datasets, including the 2026 IFS Religion and Family Survey of 3,125 married adults ages 18 to 54, the General Social Survey, and a separate survey of 1,219 alumni of FOCUS, a Catholic campus ministry.

According to The Observer’s report, regular churchgoers were more likely to say they have sex at least weekly, and the association held even after researchers accounted for demographic differences. The article also says regularly attending Catholics and Protestants were more likely to describe their sex lives positively than less observant or unaffiliated respondents. Daily prayer was linked to higher sexual satisfaction among married Catholics and Protestants, though not to more frequent sex.

The report also ties the findings to broader beliefs about marriage. Respondents who saw marriage as a permanent commitment were more likely to report both frequent and satisfying sex, and that view was associated with stronger overall marital quality. The study was funded by FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

The Observer’s article includes commentary from a marriage and family therapist, who suggested that shared religious practice may strengthen emotional connection, openness and commitment within couples. More broadly, the report comes amid discussion of a so-called sex recession, adding a religious dimension to ongoing debates about intimacy and relationship quality.