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Study: does being in an open relationship make people happier?

Monogamous relationships might not make you as happy as you think.

New research from the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, has shown that people in consensually non-monogamous relationships, meaning people are with multiple partners and all parties have full knowledge of that, are equally as happy as people who are in a monogamous relationship, people who are exclusively partnered one-on-one.

The study, out of University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, explored relationship satisfaction between couples. The study surveyed more than 140 people in non-monogamous relationships and more than 200 in monogamous ones with a specific focus on the 20's - 30's age range. Jessica Wood, the lead author of the study noted that "In both monogamous and non-monogamous relationships, people who engage in sex to be close and engage their partner's needs have a more satisfying relationship." Many, she said, find that the notion around open relationships call into question their ethics about appropriate behavior, but actually the structure of the relationship matters a lot less of all partners are happy. "Monogamy is a model we’ve been identifying with for a long time...now people are finding a lot more space to ask questions, and...there’s a whole new vocabulary for relationships."

However, researchers were also quick to note that only 3-7% of people in North America identified as being in an open relationship. In a 2016 study from YouGov, only 51% of people ages 30 and under said that their ideal relationship is completely monogamous. Do you know anyone in an open relationship? How do you feel about them? Send us your thoughts on the Daily Blast Live Facebook page!

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