Comarital mate-sharing and family stability

One particular form of extramarital sexual behavior, mate-swapping or swinging, has received much attention in the popular and social scientific literature recently. One question not yet adequately answered is whether mate-swapping is harmful or helpful to marital and family stability. The hypothesis that mate-swapping is potentially less harmful to the stability of a marriage (and family) than a secret extramarital affair is discussed using two sources of data-several participant observation studies of swingers and survey research involving a stratified area probability sample of 579 married adults in a midwestern community. Infidelity, marital cohesion and family solidarity are examined using both descriptive and survey data. The tentative evidence provided does not suggest that mate-swapping is harmful to marital or family stability.