Data from 12,000 couples
A group of German scientists wanted to find out, and to that end they analyzed satisfaction with the relationship of more than 12,000 Germans and their partner. They divided the participants into two groups, one with couples in which a partner had cheated and a control group in which that was not the case.
In the ‘infidelity team’, the participants were divided into ‘perpetrators’ and ‘victims’. The control group consisted of participants who were in a steady relationship and had not experienced infidelity. The researchers then analyzed details of infidelity, life satisfaction, relationship commitment, and well-being of the individual and couples.
Problems started before cheating
In general, they saw a gradual deterioration in relationships, which started well before the cheating. This slow decline occurred both in those who eventually cheated and in the victimized partner.
After cheating, those who cheated on their partner experienced declining self-esteem, less satisfaction with the relationship and sex life, and more arguments. However, these changes did not occur to the same degree in those who had been victims of the infidelity.
Men are the worst
While the aggrieved partner had lower self-esteem and experienced more conflict in the relationship than before the infidelity, they had not observed changes in other areas related to their well-being.
The researchers also found that men were more prone to cheating than women. And participants who broke up after cheating but did not find a new partner were less satisfied with their lives. This was not the case for people who subsequently found a new partner or for people who chose to stay with their partner despite cheating.
