A new study reveals that married men and women who have only had sex with their spouse are more likely to report a happier marriage than those who have had multiple partners (Photo: Martin Eden Tips Rf/ZUMA Press/Newscom)

It may not be the ideal found in our popular culture, post sexual revolution, but a new data analysis finds that having just one sexual partner makes for happier marriages.

New research published Monday by the Institute for Family Studies reveals that married couples who have only had sex with their spouse throughout their lifetime are more likely to report a happier marriage than those who have had multiple partners.

The study, authored by University of Utah professor Nicholas Wolfinger, found that both men and women reported higher levels of satisfaction in their marriage if their only sexual partner was their spouse.

"In sum, the surprisingly large number of Americans reporting one lifetime sex partner have the happiest marriages," Wolfinger writes.