Reported change in preferred sexual activity over the adult years

Fifty‐nine women and 40 men, aged 60 to 85, participated in a study which examined changes in preferred sexual activity from young adulthood to old age. The results indicated that change in preferred sexual activity over time was common and not associated with low psychological well‐being or with unfavorable ratings on satisfaction with sex life, subjective pleasure, incidence of the preferred activity, or interest in sex in old age. However, change in preference was related to physical changes in both sexes and to opportunity factors among women. These findings suggest that sexual experience and psychological well‐being in old age are related more to the type of sexual activity that is preferred than to the occurrence of change per se.