Intimacy in Middle Adulthood Marriage is the mainstay of middle adulthood. Among those in the 45 to 54 age group, more than two-thirds are married (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008a). Although middle-aged marriage is often depicted as boring in the media, studies consistently show that marital quality improves from young adulthood to middle adulthood. As children are successfully launched into the world, couples have more time for each other and the activities that interest them. It is in this context—the marital relationship—that middle-aged adults realize the most satisfying affectionate, sexual, and emotional experiences (Gorchoff & others, 2008; Henry & others, 2007; Rosen & Bachmann, 2008).
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