title: Consensual Nonmonogamy: Psychological Well-Being and Relationship Quality Correlates.
abstract: Consensually nonmonogamous relationships are those in which all partners explicitly agree that each partner may have romantic or sexual relationships with others (Conley, Ziegler, Moors, Matsick, & Valentine, 2013 ). In this article, research examining the associations between consensual nonmonogamy, psychological well-being, and relationship quality is reviewed. Specifically, three types of consensual nonmonogamy are examined: swinging, open relationships (including sexually open marriage and gay open relationships), and polyamory. Swinging refers to when a couple practices extradyadic sex with members of another couple; open relationships are relationships in which partners agree that they can have extradyadic sex; and polyamory is the practice of, belief in, or willingness to engage in consensual nonmonogamy, typically in long-term and/or loving relationships. General trends in the research reviewed suggest that consensual nonmonogamists have similar psychological well-being and relationship quality as monogamists. Methodological challenges in research on consensual nonmonogamy and directions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Brock University.
authors.forename: Alicia N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Rubel
authors.affiliation: b Departments of Health Sciences and Psychology , Brock University.
authors.forename: Anthony F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bogaert
mesh_terms: D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005114:Extramarital Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007578:Jealousy; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology