‘Once a cheater, always a cheater’: There’s truth behind the old saying

There's no question that having an unfaithful past can truly damage a person's reputation when it comes to future romantic endeavours.

A history of infidelity can lead to trust issues in relationships as the phrase 'once a cheater, always a cheater' echoes through the mind of your new partner.

And while that may not always be the case, some scientific research has suggested there could actually be some truth behind the old saying.

A study, published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, saw researchers follow 484 participants in heterosexual relationships.

As part of the study, participants were asked to report their own "extra-dyadic sexual involvement" (sexual relations with someone other than their partner), and whether or not they had been suspicious of their partner's infidelity in each relationship they had been in.

Researchers found that people who had cheated on their partners in their first relationship were three times more likely to cheat in their next, compared to those who had remained faithful.

What's more, those who knew they had been cheated on were 50 per cent more likely to have experience infidelity in their next relationship.

So, while the same can't be said for every individual, it seems the 'cheater' reputation might stick around for a reason.