Editing Open relationship (section)

===Positive outcomes===
Published 1974, a national study of sexuality conducted by Hunt found that relatively few people engage in swinging. Hunt attributed the low number of people in these open marriages to various social, psychological, and practical problems. Yet, some of these people "confirmed what the advocates and enthusiasts have claimed—namely, that marital swinging can provide physically intense experiences, that it can be immensely ego-gratifying and that it is a temporary release from confinement and responsibility and a brief chance to live out one's wildest fantasies" (pages 273–274).<ref name="Hunt, 1974" />

Some studies show that couples in open marriages can maintain satisfying relationships. Rubin observed no differences in marital adjustment between couples in open marriages and couples in sexually monogamous marriages.<ref name="Rubin, 1982">{{Cite journal |last=Rubin |first=Arline M. |date=December 1982 |title=Sexually open versus sexually exclusive marriage: a comparison of dyadic adjustment |journal=Alternative Lifestyles |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=101–108 |doi=10.1007/BF01083247 |s2cid=144809888}}</ref> Rubin and Adams reported no differences in marital satisfaction between couples in open marriages and couples in sexually monogamous relationships.<ref name="Rubin, Adams, 1986">{{Cite journal |last1=Rubin |first1=Arline M. |last2=Adams |first2=James R. |date=1986 |title=Outcomes of sexually open marriages |journal=[[Journal of Sex Research|The Journal of Sex Research]] |publisher=[[Taylor and Francis]] |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=311–319 |doi=10.1080/00224498609551311}}</ref> Gilmartin likewise found no differences in marital satisfaction between sexually open and sexually monogamous couples.<ref name="Gilmartin, 1978">{{Cite book |last=Gilmartin |first=Brian G. |title=The Gilmartin report |publisher=Citadel Press |year=1978 |location=Citadel Press |oclc=4135878}}</ref> A study by Bergstrand and Willams found couples in open marriages had higher levels of satisfaction than couples in the general population.<ref name="Bergstrand, Williams, 2000">{{Cite journal |last1=Bergstrand |first1=Curtis |last2=Williams |first2=Jennifer Blevins |date=10 October 2000 |title=Today's alternative marriage styles: the case of swingers |url=http://www.ejhs.org/volume3/swing/body.htm |journal=[[Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality]] |publisher=[[Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality]] |volume=3 |access-date=26 July 2006}}</ref>

Some couples in open marriages report high levels of satisfaction with their relationships. A study conducted by Wolf found that 76 percent of couples in open marriages described the quality of their relationships as "better than average" or "outstanding".<ref name="Wolf, 1985">{{Cite book |last=Wolf |first=Timothy J. |title=Bisexualities: theory and research |publisher=Haworth Press |year=1985 |isbn=9780866564236 |editor-last=Klein |editor-first=Fred |location=New York |pages=135–148 |chapter=Men in marriages. Marriages of bisexual men |editor-last2=Wolf |editor-first2=Timothy J.}}</ref> Dixon found similarly high levels of marital satisfaction in a study of 100 bisexual and heterosexual husbands in open marriages.<ref name="Dixon, D, 1985">{{Cite book |last=Dixon |first=Dwight |title=Bisexualities: theory and research |publisher=Haworth Press |year=1985 |isbn=9780866564236 |editor-last=Klein |editor-first=Fred |location=New York |pages=209–222 |chapter=Perceived sexual satisfaction and marital happiness of bisexual and heterosexual swinging husbands |editor-last2=Wolf |editor-first2=Timothy J.}}</ref> In another study, Dixon observed that 80 percent of wives in open marriages rated their marital compatibility as "excellent" or "good", and 76 percent of the wives rated their sexual satisfaction as "excellent" or "good".<ref name="Dixon, JK, 1985">{{Cite book |last=Dixon |first=Joan K. |title=Bisexualities: theory and research |publisher=Haworth Press |year=1985 |isbn=9780866564236 |editor-last=Klein |editor-first=Fred |location=New York |pages=115–133 |chapter=Sexuality and relationship changes in married females following the commencement of bisexual activity |editor-last2=Wolf |editor-first2=Timothy J.}}</ref> Buunk has also reported high levels of satisfaction in couples in open marriages.<ref name="Buunk, 1980">{{Cite journal |last=Buunk |first=Bram |date=February 1980 |title=Extramarital sex in the Netherlands: Motivations in social and marital context |journal=Alternative Lifestyles |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=11–39 |doi=10.1007/BF01083027 |s2cid=140789761}}</ref> 
 
Some couples feel open marriage has increased their marital satisfaction. Bergstrand and Williams collected online questionnaires from 1092 people involved in swinging style open marriages.<ref name="Bergstrand, Williams, 2000" /> 
Among those people who said they were "somewhat unhappy" or "unhappy" with their marriages before swinging, around 80–90 percent said they were happier with their marriages after they started swinging. Nearly half of people who said they were "very happy" with their marriages before swinging claimed to be even happier with their marriages after swinging. Open marriage can in some cases increase marital satisfaction.