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Emotional Outcomes of Casual Sexual Relationships and Experiences: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are common and emotionally significant occurrences. Given the uncommitted, often emotionally complicated nature of CSREs, researchers have asked whether these experiences may have positive and/or negative emotional consequences. We reviewed 71 quantitative articles examining emotional outcomes of CSREs, including subjective emotional reactions (e.g., excitement, regret) and emotional health (e.g., depression, self-esteem). Overall, people evaluated their CSREs more positively than negatively. In contrast, CSREs were associated with short-term declines in emotional health in most studies examining changes in emotional health within a year of CSRE involvement. Emotional outcomes of CSREs differed across people and situations. Women and individuals with less permissive attitudes toward CSREs experienced worse emotional outcomes of CSREs. Alcohol use prior to CSREs, not being sexually satisfied, and not knowing a partner well were also associated with worse emotional outcomes. These findings suggest directions for prevention/intervention related to CSREs. For example, skill-building related to sexual decision-making may help individuals decide whether, and under what circumstances, CSREs are likely to result in positive or negative emotional outcomes. In addition, the limitations of extant research suggest directions for future inquiry (e.g., examining whether verbal and nonverbal consent practices predict emotional outcomes of CSREs).
... Hookups can have both positive and negative outcomes depending on expectations and sexual satisfaction, with positive ones being more common than negative ones (Wesche, Claxton, and Waterman, 2021). Both personal (Lewis et al., 2012) and peer approval are related to more positive outcomes. ...
... Furthermore, hooking up with a previous (i.e., familiar) partner is also related to more positive outcomes (Snapp, Ryu and Kerr, 2015). On the other hand, not knowing a partner well and not being sexually satisfied predict negative outcomes of casual sex (Wesche et al., 2021). Regret is more frequent after a poor-quality casual sexual experience and among women (Fisher et al., 2011). ...
... Regret is more frequent after a poor-quality casual sexual experience and among women (Fisher et al., 2011). Women are also more prone to experiencing negative emotional outcomes of casual sexual relationships, probably because they feel manipulated and used as sexual objects or because they feel frustrated by the lack of clarity and communication (Dubè et al., 2017;Lovejoy, 2015;Wesche et al., 2021). ...
Traditionally, a romantic relationship starts with two people going on dates and developing emotional and then physical closeness. However, social developments and social media have begun to change that. Therefore, the main aim of our qualitative study was to outline modern dating scripts and forms of casual sexual relationships among Croatian emerging adults, and to identify the needs they fulfill. We conducted four focus groups with young people aged 18 to 25, of whom some were unemployed, some employed and some were university students. The results suggest that emerging adults in Croatia equally choose the traditional dating script and modern casual relationships, such as open relationship, friendship with benefits, fuck buddy, booty call, and one-night stand. Long-term relationships are seen as a step before marriage or cohabitation, and some young people try to avoid them until their career and other life circumstances are stable enough. In that sense, casual relationships can be satisfying, at least temporarily. However, they can also be confusing because different people seem to define them in different ways and, accordingly, have different expectations. The present study broadens our understanding of romantic relationships in emerging adulthood, and as one of the first Croatian studies on this topic, makes an important contribution to the field of personal relationships. It can serve not only as a reference for future studies but also as a base for developing prevention programmes that strengthen romantic competence and develop communication skills for emerging adults.
... Similarly, Bersamin and colleagues (2014) found CSRE involvement was negatively associated with well-being and positively associated with psychological distress. Overall, engaging in CSREs has been associated cross-sectionally with negative psychological outcomes for emerging adults, including psychological distress, regret, and decreased mental health (e.g., Wesche et al., 2020). ...
... Though many studies have examined the risks associated with CSREs, recently there has been a sustained effort toward recognizing the positive consequences of casual sex for emerging adults. In fact, individuals tend to evaluate their CSREs more positively than negatively overall, and report feeling happy and desirable (e.g., Campbell, 2008;Owen & Fincham, 2010Wesche et al., 2020). These positive outcomes are more commonly associated with knowing a CSRE partner well and having an emotional connection (Lewis et al., 2012;Paul & Hayes, 2002). ...
The present study examined the role of sexual behavior and sexual satisfaction in casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) on both immediate and long-term intentions to engage in further CSREs in a sample of emerging adults. We examined how four different operationalizations of sexual behavior (1) Penetrative sexual behaviors not including oral sex vs. non-penetrative sexual behaviors, (2) Penetrative sexual behaviors including oral sex vs. non-penetrative sexual behaviors, (3) Most sexually intimate behaviors, and (4) A sum score of sexual behaviors) and sexual satisfaction were associated with immediate intentions to engage in CSREs (measured during a five-day daily diary) and long-term intentions to engage in CSREs (measured one month later). Follow-up analyses examined intentions to engage in additional CSREs with a different partner. Our sample (N = 274) included both college-attending and non-college-attending emerging adults. Path analysis models indicated that more sexually intimate behaviors were associated with higher sexual satisfaction following a CSRE. Additionally, sexual satisfaction, but not type of sexual behavior, was associated with both immediate and long-term intentions to engage in CSREs above and beyond the effects of sample, gender, alcohol consumption, and previous CSREs. Follow-up analyses indicated that only alcohol consumption and gender were significantly associated with immediate intentions to engage in a CSRE, and only daily diary intentions and gender were significantly associated with long-term intentions to engage in a CSRE. Overall, these findings support previous research that suggests positive outcomes of a CSRE (sexual satisfaction) are associated with higher intentions to engage in future CSREs.
... Having a 'Friends-with benefits' relationship can be a good and healthy solution for some. If the encounter involved penetrative contact, it was more likely to be a negative experience (Wesche et al. 2021). ...
... A second study suggests that superficial contact with strangers increases our well-being (Van Lange and Columbus 2021). And a third study has found that people view their casual sexual encounters more positively than negatively(Wesche et al. 2021). Do these studies imply the advantage of casual sex over enduring love?Richness in a good lifeHappiness and meaningfulness are frequently discussed when characterizing a good life. ...
Romantic love, our most complex emotion, includes various puzzles that impede the achievement of enduring, profound love. These related puzzles involve two opposing poles on a given continuum, yet both seem necessary for enduring, profound love. I discuss here a few of the major opposing poles, which I gather into three main groups: (a) Temporality: change-familiarity; consummation-perpetuation; (b) Freedom: freedom-bondage; belonging-possessing; (c) The good-fortune of the partner: jealousy-compersion. Coping with these conflicts requires several conceptual distinctions; the key ones discussed here are the distinction between romantic intensity and romantic profundity and the distinction between extrinsically and intrinsically valuable activities. While admitting the presence of the opposing poles, I argue that in profound love, these poles can coexist. Such coexistence has significant consequences for the nature of romantic relationships, for instance, admitting the presence of romantic ambivalence and indifference and acknowledging the value of brief, casual sexual encounters.
... While allonormativity is a structure of violence that specifically targets aromantic-and asexual-spectrum folks, amatonormativity's demand for amorous relationships oppresses everyone, for example, alloromantic women who simply want to be single or childless (Hintz & Betts 2022;Mollet & Lackman, 2021). For aro folks who feel like monsters, this may be due to cultural critiques of casual non-romantic hookups which may erroneously conflate sexually active aromantic people as immorally using others for sex (Wesche et al., 2020). ...
Despite exploring other queer topics, communication scholars and rhetoricians are lacking in offering academic inquiries involving asexuality. We engaged in a critical thematic analysis of posts and comments posted from asexual and/or aromantic folks on the online communities of Reddit and AVEN, the Asexuality Visibility & Education Network. The analysis focused on three cultural tropes prominently used when describing asexual and aromantic folks, namely robots, aliens, and monsters. Our discussion centers asexual and aromantic voices and invites communication and rhetorical scholars to take steps in combating the allonormativity of our fields by centering the voices and experiences of intersectional aces and/or aros in their own research. We conclude with a call for an asexual and aromantic communication studies.
... In addition, it can be interpreted in light of recent research which suggests "hookups," friends with benefits, and other non-relationship sexual experiences are increasingly common in college students (Garcia et al., 2012). In general, women report poorer emotional health after casual sexual relationships than men, although both men and women generally report more positive than negative consequences (Wesche et al., 2021). It is possible that engaging in first intercourse, in contrast to later sexual experiences, may be experienced particularly negatively for women if it happens outside of a relationship, due to common perceptions of virginity as a special gift to bestow upon a partner (Carpenter, 2002). ...
Many adolescents and young adults have mixed feelings about their experience of first vaginal intercourse, experiencing both positive consequences like physical satisfaction and love, as well as negative consequences like guilt and anxiety. However, no study has examined the patterns of consequences individuals experience after first vaginal intercourse, which can provide a more nuanced sense of young adults’ feelings. We used latent class analysis to examine consequences of first vaginal intercourse in a longitudinal study of college students in the Northeastern United States (N = 191; 45.6% female, 30.9% White/European American, 23.6% Asian American/Pacific Islander, 22.5% Hispanic/Latino, 14.7% Black/African American, 8.4% multiracial). For male college students, classes included Multidimensional Positive (49.4%), Intimacy and Satisfaction (4.39%), and Guilt and Regret (16.22%). For female college students, classes included Intimacy, Satisfaction, and Pain (40.84%), Primarily Negative (31.11%), and Mixed Feelings (20.86%). For male students, age at first vaginal intercourse, first intercourse with a non-relationship partner, religiosity, and non-use of contraceptives were associated with class membership; for female students, first intercourse with a non-relationship partner was associated with being* in classes marked by multiple negative consequences. Findings differ by gender and are partially in line with the sexual double standard, but provide a more nuanced picture, with the majority of both male and female college students likely to report positive consequences, specifically intimacy and physical satisfaction.
... However, the involvement in CSRs is not without risks, as it may also be driven by the need to either forget past negative relationships or avoid new ones, functioning as a strategy to cope with negative emotions, loneliness, and low self-esteem, or driven by extrinsic social goals, either appetitive (initiating a committed relationship) or aversive (social pressure to participate). In fact, negative outcomes were also mentioned, namely, concerning physical, sexual, and psychological health and wellbeing, which is also found in the literature (Bersamin et al., 2014;Wesche et al., 2020). The knowledge of what the involvement in CSRs implies, namely, the drives and the outcomes perceived either as positive or negative, may help us to better target sexual health and education interventions for individuals engaging in casual sex, especially for those feeling negatively affected by these types of experiences. ...
Casual sexual relationships (CSRs) are frequent relationship experiences in young adulthood that provide opportunities for many to explore sexual relationships and to construct their sexual identity. Empirical research on casual sex is still lacking outside North-American countries, despite evidence pointing to the need to contextualize sexual interactions in their own sociocultural context. In order to better understand casual sexual relationships, these should be examined in with novel samples in other countries where a "hookup culture" as it is described in the North-American university campus is apparently absent. Through a qualitative study, we explored what casual sexual relationships consist of according to the perceptions of Portuguese college students (N = 35). The thematic analysis of eight focus group interviews resulted in the generation of six themes, three of which are presented here: (1) What CSRs are, regarding features and types of CSRs, (2) Why individuals engage in CSRs, focusing on positive and negative motivations, and (3) What one gets from CSRs, focusing on positive and negative outcomes of CSRs. Our findings showed that Portuguese emerging adults are familiarized with CSRs, particularly with one-night stand, friends with benefits and "curte"/hookup. Sexual interactions associated with other CSRs, such as booty call or fuck buddies, were mentioned but rarely associated with a distinctive label and established characteristics. Participants described the CSRs in a partially overlapping manner presenting some areas of ambiguity, such as with regard to sexual exclusivity and still-unlabeled sexual interactions. CSRs are generally evaluated as positively motivated and mainly beneficial. This study adds to the literature around casual sexual relationships by exploring and describing CSRs in a different sociocultural context, as well as indicating directions for future research in order to better prepare and empower young adults in their sexual and relational trajectories.
... While a number of studies have looked at the various motivations behind engaging in casual sex (Grubbs et al., 2019;McMahan & Olmstead, 2021;Sevi et al., 2018;Vrangalova, 2015), and separately, the outcomes (emotional and otherwise) following casual sex (see Wesche et al., 2020 for a systematic review), far fewer have examined the relationship between these variables. ...
Casual sex, also referred to as a hookup, has been associated with a range of negative emotional outcomes for women, including regret, anxiety, depression and social stigma. However, it has been argued that it is the nature of the sexual motivation, not gender that influences the emotional outcome. This study was designed to ascertain what motivates people to have casual sex, what emotional outcomes follow casual sex and whether there are gender differences among these variables. Seven hundred and one participants (47% men and 52.8% women) completed a 44-item online survey. Gender differences were found for both sexual motivations and emotional outcomes of casual sex, with women generally having more negative emotional outcomes than men. Additionally, a principal components analysis uncovered four reliable principal motivations underlying engagement in casual sex, and three principal emotional outcomes of casual sex. Predictors of negative emotional outcomes included being motivated to regulate negative emotions and to achieve positive emotions. No predictors (apart from being a man) were found for a positive emotional outcome. While the stigma surrounding female sexual agency is diminishing, results generally support the presence of a sexual double-standard which encourages male promiscuity but dissuades female sexual autonomy.
... The friendship component appears to be particularly important for defining the relationship type because it signifies potential for commitment to the partner. Research on various subtypes of CSREs suggests FWBRs may involve greater commitment to the FWBR and more frequent sexual activity than hookups (e.g., Rodrigue et al., 2015;Wentland & Reissing, 2011;Wesche et al., 2021) but lower commitment and less sexual exclusivity than in a dating relationship (e.g., Hadden et al., 2019;Rodrigue et al., 2018). Taken together, past research does not clearly indicate whether FWBRs are more like hookups or more like dating relationships, or if they are a distinct type of CSRE in terms of characteristics and outcomes. ...
Friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) are a common form of relationship for college students that combine aspects of friendship with sex, yet little is known about commitment in these relationships and whether they are more similar to casual relationships or to romantic relationships. We investigated associations between investment, alternatives, and satisfaction, with commitment (per the Investment Model) in college students' FWBRs and examined how associations between variables differ by participant and partner gender. Primary analyses were conducted with male-female FWBRs (n = 252). Male-male (n = 19) and female-female (n = 4) FWBRs are described. Investment was the strongest predictor of commitment for participants in male-female FWBRs, with commitment higher among women than men when investment was high. Additionally, participants' perceptions that their own and their partners' commitment was asymmetrical, as well as reports of extra-dyadic sexual activity (i.e., sex outside the FWBR) correlated with lower commitment to the FWBR. Overall, results suggest that FWBRs can be distinguished not only from other casual sexual relationships such as hookups but can also be differentiated from romantic relationships. Future research and intervention work should measure commitment and investment to predict how these relationships can persist, as well as transition, over time.
... Research outcomes likely related to relationship closeness appear even more mixed for sexual activities with a non-romantic partner [13]. Sex with non-romantic partners often includes some intimate, affectionate behaviors thought to characterize exclusive, romantic relationships, such as extended foreplay, eye gazing, cuddling [14], and seeking emotional gratification [15]. ...
Relationship closeness promotes desirable health outcomes. Most interventions to increase relationship closeness are verbal, which may not suit all couples. We consider whether Orgasmic Meditation (OM), a structured, partnered, largely non-verbal practice that includes genital touch, also increases relationship closeness. We hypothesized that OM would increase feelings of closeness for both romantic and non-romantic partners. This is important, because intimate touch with non-romantic partners is commonly considered deleterious by clinicians, which may inadvertently increase feelings of shame. Dyads (n = 125) reported their feelings of closeness before and after OM. Approximately half of the participants were romantic partners, while the other half only engaged in OM together (non-romantic). Closeness after OM increased on average across participants. Non-romantic dyads increased self-other overlap more than romantic dyads. These data support that a partnered, largely non-verbal practice is associated with increased feelings of closeness in the moment, including for individuals who are not in a romantic relationship.
Research on alcohol and sexual assault has increased greatly in quantity and sophistication since the association between the two was first recognized. Using my personal experience of 30 years of sexual assault research as a frame, I trace the development of important breakthroughs and insights in understanding alcohol-related sexual assault. Among the important milestones are the identification of incapacitated rape as a distinct and prevalent form of victimization among college students and recognition of the close linkage between alcohol-related sexual assault and sexual activity such as hookups. Emerging research points toward the importance of drinking environments and individual differences in motivations to frequent these environments, in understanding how potential perpetrators and victims are brought together. Prevention is challenging given the variety of processes underlying sexual assault. However, some efforts, both individual and those targeting drinking environments and policy, have achieved some success in reducing sexual assault and increasing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying alcohol-related sexual assault.KeywordsSexual assaultAlcoholDrinking environmentHookupsReductionPrevention
The time it takes to grow up has significantly lengthened in the last 20 years and has led to an independent developmental phase of 18–30 years. Research findings show that the five typical characteristics of emerging adulthood are universal in many industrialized countries, including Germany, with far-reaching consequences for mental health. The focus is on a prolonged and qualitatively changed development of identity with corresponding effects on partnership and work. Broad exploration in both areas, reduced commitment and high instability with frequent changes are characteristic. Altered parenting behavior, such as prolonged support, intrusive control, and problems of parents to separate from their children contribute to a prolongation of the transition. Due to the diverse stresses and the strong increase in mental disorders, this age phase represents a second window of vulnerability. The specific characteristics of this age phase require a different therapeutic approach.
People’s motives for casual sex moderate associations between their sexual behavior and the outcomes they experience. Derived from self-determination theory, autonomous motives for casual sex (e.g., I wanted the fun and enjoyment) and non-autonomous motives (e.g., I wanted to please someone else) correlated in previous research differentially with measures of well-being and incidence of casual sex. In a sample of American college students (N = 284), we replicated these prior findings and extended them as follows: autonomous and non-autonomous motives for sex were correlated with two measures of casual sex (i.e., the three behavior questions from the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory; the number of partners with whom participants had penetrative sex but did not wish to become emotionally involved); two measures of well-being (i.e., self-esteem, depression), and a measure of overall sexual victimization (i.e., a combined score from the Sexual Experiences Survey). We found that autonomous motives were more strongly associated with casual sexual behavior than were non-autonomous motives in both sexes. Autonomous motives were positively associated with sexual victimization in women but not in men. Compared to autonomous motives, sex for non-autonomous motives was linked to less self-esteem in both sexes, and with more depression and sexual victimization in women. Sex differences in associations between motives and victimization persisted even when the general effects of participant’s sex and casual sex were controlled in hierarchical regressions. Our findings further revealed the importance of agency (or lack thereof) in predicting sexual behavior and psychological health.
Majority of college students hook up at least once during their time in school. The literature on casual sex encounters among college students is growing, though most studies are cross-sectional and individual studies focus on few outcomes at a time, leaving piecemeal and mixed results. The current longitudinal study clarifies prior work by analyzing how post-event process (PEP), an understudied construct within the hookup literature, and emotional (i.e., positive or negative) hookup reactions interact to predict a breadth of outcomes, representing holistic student well-being. The inclusion of PEP reframes the current literature to consider PEP as a predictor variable of hookup outcomes, as moderated by emotional hookup reactions. This is consistent with literature indicating emotional experiences affect PEP across a variety of incidents. Participants (N = 377, 87.6% female) completed self-report measures at 2-month intervals. We tested relationships between the main and interaction effects of PEP and emotional hookup reactions as a moderation regression analyses on anxiety, academic engagement, religious coping, and psychological flourishing. The main effect of PEP predicted more anxiety and less negative religious coping, negative hookup reactions predicted more anxiety, and positive hookup reactions predicted more flourishing. Regarding interaction effects, high levels of positive hookup reactions and PEP were associated with less anxiety, less academic engagement, more negative religious coping, and less psychological flourishing; high levels of negative hookup reactions and PEP were associated with less anxiety and more negative religious coping and were unrelated to academic engagement or flourishing over two months.
Heterosexual casual sex is routinely depicted as a physically, socially, and psychologically "risky" practice. This is the case in media accounts, psychological research, and other academic work. In this article, we examine 15 men's and 15 women's talk about casual sex from a discursive psychological stance to achieve two objectives. Firstly, we confirm the categories of risk typically associated with casual sex but expand these to include a domain of risks related to (gendered) identities and representation. Men's talk of risk centered on concerns about sexual performance, whereas women's talk centered on keeping safe from violence and sexual coercion. The notion of a sexual reputation was also identified as a risk and again manifested differently for men and women. While women were concerned about being deemed promiscuous, men displayed concern about the quality of their sexual performance. Secondly, within this talk about risks of casual sex, the participants' identities were identified as "at risk" and requiring careful management within the interview context. This was demonstrated by instances of: keeping masculinity intact in accounts of no erection, negotiating a responsible subject position, and crafting agency in accounts of sexual coercion-in the participants' talk. We argue that casual sex, as situated within dominant discourses of gendered heterosexuality, is a fraught practice for both men and women and subject to the demands of identity representation within co-present interactions.
Sex differences in sexual regret are found to be robust across nations. Participants in Norway (N = 547) and the United States (N = 216) reported their level of regret for their most recent casual sexual experience. Participants also reported on proximate factors hypothesized to predict casual sex regret: negative emotions (worry), feeling pressured to have sex, low sexual gratification, partner's sexual competence, and to what extent they initiated the sexual encounter.
Results suggest that greater feelings of worry, experiencing disgust, and feeling pressured to have sex predicted more regret for casual sex. In contrast, experiencing higher levels of sexual gratification, finding the partner to be sexually competent, and being the one taking the initiative predicted less sexual regret. Predictors of casual sex regret were not moderated by nation. However, relative to men, most of these predictors had a stronger impact on women's likelihood of regretting their most recent casual sex encounter. Discussion focuses on disgust, the key predictor of sexual regret, addresses limitations of the current study, and suggests future lines of research.
Highlights
•Six proximate factors related to casual sex regret examined.
•Worry, disgust, and pressure predicted more regret.
•Sexual gratification, sexual competency of partner, and taking initiative predicted less sexual regret.
•Most predictors had a stronger impact on women's casual sex regret.
•Predictors of casual sex regret were not moderated by nation.
In this paper, we acknowledge and critique the absence of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) experiences in the recent proliferation of scholarship on “hooking up” among youth (aged 16 to 24). Although previous research has documented that LGB youth hookup at high rates (up to three-quarters of LGB youth), and oftentimes more than heterosexuals, the most basic aspects of hookups (e.g., motivations, experiences, and outcomes) have not been comprehensively explored. This is pertinent because young adulthood, in particular, is a time when young people explore their sexuality. Most scholarship on hooking up has focused on White heterosexual college students, mostly due to sampling constraints and impediments, and so we are left with a critical gap in our knowledge about LGB youth—a population that is typically at higher risk for sexual, mental, and emotional health issues. We begin by reviewing the literature on hooking up among heterosexual young adults as organized by four themes: hookup definitions/frequencies, contexts, motivations, and outcomes. We do this to explicitly highlight and contrast what little is known about LGB youth hookups. We then provide a research agenda that projects how future researchers can advance this area of scholarship and begin to fill its gaps, while considering the hookup experiences of diverse LGB youth.
Despite recent policy initiatives and substantial federal funding of individually oriented relationship education programs for youth, there have been no meta-analytic reviews of this growing field. This meta-analytic study draws on 17 control-group studies and 13 one-group/pre-post studies to evaluate the effectiveness of relationship education programs on adolescents’ and emerging adults’ relationship knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Overall, control-group studies produced a medium effect (d = .36); one-group/pre-post studies also produced a medium effect (d = .47). However, the lack of studies with long-term follow-ups of relationship behaviors in the young adult years is a serious weakness in the field, limiting what we can say about the value of these programs for helping youth achieve their aspirations for healthy romantic relationships and stable marriages.
Background:
Studies have shown that sexual initiation at earlier ages increases the risk of depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, little is known about its association with major depressive episode (MDE).
Methods:
The association between age of sexual initiation and MDE at 18 years was assessed in the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort using multiple logistic regression. Sexual initiation characteristics (age and type of partner) were assessed at the 15- and 18-years follow-up. The age of sexual initiation was evaluated in categories (11-14, 15-16, 17+ years). The type of partner was categorized into: boyfriend/ girlfriend, casual partner and other. MDE was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).
Results:
From the 4027 adolescents assessed, the prevalence of MDE was higher in females (10.1%) than in males (3.4%), and 66.7% of the males and 58.6% of the females reported sexual initiation up to 16 years (p < 0.001). Female adolescents who had sexual initiation <17 years had higher odds of MDE (15-16 years: OR 2.29; 11-14 years: OR 2.23), however no association was found for males. The type of partner in the first sexual intercourse was not associated to depression.
Limitations:
Possibility of recall bias on the age of sexual initiation, and low statistical power for some analyses.
Conclusions:
A positive association between age of sexual initiation and MDE was observed only in females. More investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms through which age of sexual initiation can affect the risk of depression and whether the association persists in adulthood.
Past research has consistently shown that romantic experiences during adolescence affect the nature and quality of romantic relationships during emerging adulthood. However, less is known about the role of adolescent sexual experiences in future sexual and romantic relationships. The current study examined the impact of different forms of sexual activity at age 16 (within a romantic relationship or casual encounters) on the nature and quality of sexual experiences in romantic relationships at age 23. One hundred and forty four (59.7% females) 16 year olds reported on their sexual activity within a romantic relationship or sexual encounters. In addition they reported on the quality of relationships they were involved in and their tendency to suppress emotions (included as an aspect of personality). At age 23 they reported on their romantic and sexual experiences during the past 2 years (number of short lived relationships, numbers of friends with benefits, casual sex encounters) and the quality of their romantic relationships (the duration of their longest relationship, partner support and feelings of certainty in the relationships). Findings showed that the tendency to suppress emotions was associated with lower likelihood to engage in casual sex at age 23. However, greater sexual experience in casual encounters during adolescence was consistently longitudinally associated with different forms of casual sexual encounters and short romantic involvements above and beyond the contribution of personality. In contrast, sexual activity within a romantic relationship predicted only a few indices of the quality of romantic involvement at age 23. The distinctive role of casual sexual activity and sexual activity within a romantic relationship for future sexual and romantic activities is discussed.
Sexual regret was investigated across two disparate cultures: Norway (N = 853), a highly secular and sexually liberal culture, and the United States (N = 466), a more religious and more sexually conservative culture. Sex differences, individual differences in preferred mating strategy, religiosity, and cultural differences in sexual regret were analyzed. Men were significantly less likely to regret having had casual sex than women and were significantly more likely to regret passing up casual sexual opportunities than women. Participants who were more religious regretted having had casual sex more and regretted passing up casual sex less. Sexually unrestricted participants were less likely to regret having had casual sex and were more likely to regret passing up casual sex. Finally, North Americans and Norwegians did not differ significantly in overall amount of sexual regret nor in patterns of sex differences in sexual regret. Discussion focuses the robustness of sex differences across cultures, the importance of explaining individual differences within cultures, and on future directions for cross-cultural research.
This study aims at determining the level of depression and suicidal status of adult HIV test-seekers. Of the total enrolled 850 males, almost 50% reported some risk behaviors, 38.9% experienced depression, and 7.2% had suicidal ideation. Subjects with risky sexual behaviors in terms of repeated HIV test, had a history of sexually transmitted disease, engaged in one-night stands, or did not use condoms all the time with causal sexual partners were more likely to have depression. Furthermore, subjects who were bisexual/homosexual, engaged in Internet sex, engaged in one-night stands, or used addictive drugs within the past 6 months were more likely to experience suicidal ideation. The HIV testers are at risk of experiencing depression and suicidal ideation; each is associated with different types of risky sexual behaviors. It is essential for the health authority to further provide mental health services for HIV testers and to draw up an effective strategy in reducing unprotected sexual behaviors.
Psychological characteristics may predispose youths to engage in casual sex relationships and experiences (CSREs). Using a prospective longitudinal design and in a subsample of 2601 high school students in the province of Québec, we explored possible shifts in engaging in one-night stands (ONSs) and friends with benefits (FWB) relationships over a 6-month period among sexually active adolescents. We also examined the relationships among well-being predictors (psychological distress, self-esteem, suicidal ideation, and alcohol and drug consumption) and these shifts while exploring possible gender differences. Multinomial regressions in Mplus were used to explore whether initial psychological well-being was related to entrance type, the transition from having no CSREs to having one, or discontinuation or continuation type. Frequent alcohol consumption (i.e., once or twice a week or more) for boys and frequent consumption of both alcohol and drugs for girls were associated with continuation of CSREs. Suicidal ideation was associated with entrance into FWB relationships as well as continuation of FWB relationships and ONSs for girls. Psychological distress was a predictor of discontinuation of ONSs for boys. These results suggested that interventions should consider the specific and common needs of both genders in regard to ONSs and FWB relationships.
The current study sought to answer three key questions about explaining the emotion of regret in the domain of casual sex: Are sex differences in sexual regret robust or attenuated in a highly egalitarian culture? What proximate psychological variables might explain sex differences in sexual regret? And what accounts for within-sex variation in experiences of sexual regret about casual sex. We conducted a study of 263 Norwegian students (ages 19–37) who reported how much they regretted having either engaged in, or passed up, their most recent casual sexual experience. Sex differences in sexual regret are not attenuated in this sexually egalitarian culture. The study revealed sex differences in worries about pregnancy, STIs, and reputation; however, these predictors did not succeed in accounting for the sex differences in regret engaging in casual sex. Sexual gratification and socio-sexual orientation both predicted the sex differences in casual sex regret. In contrast, only socio-sexual orientation attenuated the sex difference in regret passing up casual sex. Predictors of within-sex variation in casual sexual regret included worry about sexual reputation, experienced gratification during the encounter, and socio-sexual orientation. Discussion focuses on implications for the psychological design features of this relatively neglected emotion.
Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are still considered to be detrimental to the psychological well-being of youth even though findings remain inconclusive. Most studies have focused on emerging adulthood. Using a prospective design based on a representative sample of high school students in the province of Québec, we measured sexually active adolescents’ (N = 2,304) psychological well-being six months after engaging in these relationships while controlling for prior well-being. We analyzed two forms of CSREs, friends with benefits (FWB) and one-night stand (ONS) relationships, as well as levels of sexual intimacy. The results show that CSREs had a small impact (small effect sizes) on subsequent psychological well-being, especially among girls; FWB relationships involving penetrative contact increased girls’ psychological distress and both their alcohol and drug consumption. ONSs including sexual touching increased girls’ psychological distress and their drug use. None of the CSREs influenced boys’ psychological well-being. The findings underscored the importance of using caution when arguing that CSREs are detrimental or harmless to the psychological well-being of adolescents. The results also highlight the importance of taking into account gender and forms of CSREs in prevention and health interventions.
Objective:
The current study examined the extent to which negative affect moderates the relationships between distinct hookup motives and hookup consequences.
Participants:
Data were collected from 271 heavy-drinking undergraduate college students.
Methods:
Students from 3 US universities completed online surveys assessing hooking up-related motives, behaviors, and consequences.
Results:
The results showed that conformity motives to hookup and negative affect predicted hookup consequences. Furthermore, negative affect moderated the relationship between hooking up for relationship reasons and hookup consequences. Specifically, among students with high negative affect, hooking up to secure a long-term relationship was positively associated with hookup consequences whereas among students with low negative affect, securing a long-term relationship was negatively associated with hookup consequences.
Conclusions:
These findings highlight the role that motives and negative affect play in the prediction of negative hookup consequences. Moreover, the findings from the current study have the potential to inform prevention efforts designed to reduce hookup consequences.
Discussions of heterosexual casual sex are often imbued with (gendered) assumptions regarding the motives for, and drawbacks of, such a practice. The pulls of casual sex are often depicted as sexual gratification and the drawbacks relayed in terms of physical risk, for example, sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Most of the research in this area has largely focused on undergraduate university students or "emerging adults" in North America, using primarily quantitative methodologies. We build on this work and a small but growing amount of qualitative research to unpack the complex psychoemotional and experiential dimensions of casual sex. We report on a critical thematic analysis of interviews with 30 ethnically diverse women and men (aged 18 to 46) in New Zealand about their experiences of heterosexual casual sex to achieve two things. First, we demonstrate the complexity with which women and men discussed their casual sex experiences, highlighting how the practice was varied, contradictory, and multifaceted, and played in a localized way during the conversation. Second, we illustrate how this talk was governed by contemporary Western discourses of intimate relationships and the shape of (gendered) heterosexuality. We conclude that casual sex research must always consider the broader sociocultural context, as well as the interpersonal context, within which any sexual relating is situated.
Scholars of adolescent and emerging adult sexuality have recently begun to study how diverse patterns of sexual behaviors contribute to development and well-being. A person-oriented approach to studying sexual behaviors provides a nuanced understanding of sexual repertoires. The goals of this paper were to document patterns of sexual behaviors ranging from kissing to penetrative sex, and to examine how latent classes of behaviors, gender, and partner type (romantic versus nonromantic) predict intra- and interpersonal consequences of sexual behaviors. Latent class analysis of a stratified random sample of US college students revealed four classes of sexual behaviors: Kissing Only, Kissing and Touching, All Behaviors, and Oral and Penetrative Only. Compared to individuals in the All Behaviors class, individuals in the Kissing Only class were less likely to experience a positive or a negative intrapersonal consequence of sexual behaviors. Men were less likely to report a negative intrapersonal consequence than women were. Partner type predicted negative interpersonal consequences for the All Behaviors class. Implications are discussed in terms of normative sexual development, prevention, and sexual and relationship education.
Canadian undergraduates (146 men and 135 women; ages 18-40, M = 20.9, SD = 3.4) described their experiences with "friends with benefits" relationships (FWBRs). Responses were coded and analysed using chi-square contingency tables and multinomial regression analysis. Study results link some of the previously identified advantages and disadvantages of FWBRs to relational outcomes (whether the experience was positive, negative, or neutral; and willingness to enter a FWBR again). Most participants reported positive (38%) or neutral (37%) FWBR experiences, yet 40% indicated they would not enter a FWBR again. Developing emotional complications throughout the relationship occurred in 22% of participants, men and women equally, and strongly predicted negative outcomes (odds ratio 9.5, p < 0.001 for negative experience; odds ratio 2.8, p = 0.007 for not wanting a FWBR again). Women were also significantly more likely than men to enter the relationship, hoping it would evolve into dating (p < 0.001), and to express desire to avoid a FWBR in the future (odds ratio 3.3, p < 0.001). Results indicated that other gender differences in FWBRs are nuanced, and both confirm and depart from the traditional gender norms.
We examined the role of peers in understanding satisfaction with casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) in young adulthood. Specifically, we examined how perception of peer CSRE engagement, communication with peers about CSREs and peer approval of CSRE engagement were associated with satisfaction both immediately following CSRE engagement and one month after the
CSRE occurred. Participants from non-college and college samples completed an online battery of questionnaires at two time points surrounding a high alcohol consumption event in the USA: Halloween. Path analysis results indicated that peer approval was positively associated with later satisfaction, but only for those in college. Additionally, intentions to communicate with peers were positively associated with satisfaction a month following CSRE, but only for those who engaged in non-penetrative sex. None of the tested associations was qualified by gender.
Romantic partners' emotions become coordinated in various ways and this may have implications for well-being (Butler (2011) Temporal interpersonal emotion systems: The TIES that form relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 15, 367-393.). The present study uses a community sample of 44 committed heterosexual couples to examine whether cooperation, a generally beneficial relational process, is associated with emotional coordination and whether the pattern differs when men's emotions are coordinated with their female partners' prior emotions or vice versa. Using behavioral observations of cooperation and second-to-second measures of emotional experience during a face-to-face conversation, men showed the most positive emotional experience at high levels of mutual cooperation. As predicted, cooperation was associated with different coordination patterns for men and women, with high mutual cooperation predicting an inphase pattern for men (emotions changing in unison with their partners) and an antiphase pattern for women (emotions changing in opposite directions from their partners). Our results suggest that men and women may experience cooperation differently, despite engaging in similar behaviors.
This study tested four predictions derived from (evolutionary) sexual conflict theory. The central hypothesis was that men and women possess different emotional mechanisms that motivate and evaluate sexual activities. Women’s mechanisms are associated with their perception of partners’ ability and willingness to invest. For men these associations are weaker or inverse. Regression analyses of survey data from 194 college students revealed the following. As incidence of casual sexual relations increased (SOI Behavior), men reported less concern about partners’ intentions and less Worry–Vulnerability in response to casual sexual relations than women did; these gender interactions were significant. Regular sexual relations with partners with whom they did not desire emotional involvement showed the same pattern of gender differences. The Sexual Experiences Survey (SES) measured the incidence of sexual coercion in casual sexual relations. For women, but not for men, SOI Behavior was associated with all levels of sexual coercion. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Background: A significant portion of premarital sexual activity is casual rather than in relationships, and commentators disagree on whether this is what women prefer. Objective: We examine gender differences in attitudes toward casual sex. We also assess whether there is a double standard whereby women are judged more harshly for casual sex. Methods: We use a large online survey of U.S. university students to examine gender differences with regard to attitudes and reports of sexual behavior. Results: While distributions overlap, the average man looks more favorably on casual sex than the average woman. Both sexes show substantial openness to relationships. We find evidence of a double standard: men are more judgmental toward women than toward men who have casual sex. Men appear to over-report and/or women to under-report intercourse and fellatio, suggesting that men see these acts as enhancing and/or women see them as diminishing their status. Conclusions: Women face more negative judgment than men when they are known to engage in casual sex, and they also report less interest in casual sex than men. Our analysis does not permit us to assess whether the double standard we find evidence of explains why women have less interest in casual sex, but we hypothesize that this is the case.
Although theories of romantic stage development suggest that youth in the period of emerging adulthood are fully capable of commitment to an intimate romantic relationship, recent research suggests that the relationships of many young people are quite different. Marriage and other forms of deep commitment are delayed while many youth engage in short-term casual encounters or in noncommitted relationships. In this article, we suggest that these data pose a challenge to stage theories that can be reconciled by considering the developmental life tasks that emerging adults must simultaneously resolve. We propose a transitional emerging adult romantic stage, coordinating romance and life plans, in which young people strive to integrate their career paths and life plans with those of a romantic partner. Resolution of this stage provides the grounding for long-term commitment to a life partner. This proposal is discussed within the perspective of life cycle and evolutionary life history theories. © 2013 Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood and SAGE Publications.
Sexual activity, including hooking up, increases college women’s vulnerability to sexual victimization. Reducing hookups may reduce rates of sexual victimization among this vulnerable population. Because college students overestimate how frequently their peers hook up, correcting their misperceptions may lead to more accurate perceived social norms, and consequently, less hookup behavior. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of a brief, computer-administered personalized normative feedback (PNF) intervention regarding hookups during the first semester of college. We tested an indirect effects model in which PNF was hypothesized to predict perceiving fewer peer hookups, which were expected to predict fewer actual hookups and consequently, less sexual victimization during the first semester of college. Entering first-year women (N = 760) were randomly assigned to receive web-delivered PNF or no information. At the end of the semester, perceived number of hookups of others, number of hookups during the semester, and sexual victimization experiences were assessed. Women who received the intervention perceived that their peers engaged in significantly fewer hookups than did control women. Consistent with the proposed indirect effects model, intervention had a significant indirect effect on the odds of first-semester victimization via lower perceived descriptive norms, which in turn predicted fewer hookups. The study provides proof of concept for the importance of hookups as a risk factor for sexual victimization and provides novel, preliminary support for intervention to change descriptive norms as a way of reducing hookups and consequently, sexual vulnerability.
Adolescent sexual behavior was examined within a health perspective. Assuming a developmental perspective, the current study investigated the associations between sexual behavior in either stable relationships or in casual encounters, and the quality of romantic relationships and affect 4 years later. Data were collected from 144 Israeli adolescents aged 16–18 years (mean age 16.57 years). Participants completed diary data over a period of 10 days and reported on the quality of their romantic encounters and their emotions, and on their sexual behavior in stable relationships or casual encounters. Four years later, they were asked to complete diary data again for 10 consecutive days and report on the quality of their romantic relationships and their positive and negative affect. Findings indicate that involvement in sexual behavior in stable romantic relationships was associated only with future romantic partner support. In contrast, earlier involvement in casual sexual behavior was associated with a number of future indices: lower partner support, greater negative affect as well as greater relationship tension, and dyadic hurtful behavior 4 years later. The differential role of sexuality within a stable relationship or casual encounters among adolescents for their future romantic development is discussed within a developmental framework. © 2019
Sexual behavior is associated with increased positive affect and decreased negative affect. However, contextual variables such as partner type, behavior type, and condom use may moderate these associations. The goal of the present research was to examine these contextual moderators using monthly longitudinal data from a sample of young women. Female first-year college students (N = 477) completed monthly assessments of their sexual behaviors and positive and negative affect. Participants reported more negative affect in months in which they engaged in sexual behavior compared to months in which they did not. This association was moderated by partner type, such that only sexual behavior with casual partners was associated with increased negative affect. Participants reported more positive affect during months with kissing/touching only compared to months without sexual behavior; however, this association did not differ significantly from the association between oral/vaginal sex and positive affect. Condom use did not moderate the association between vaginal sex and positive or negative affect. In this sample of young women transitioning to college, engaging in sexual behavior was generally associated with negative affect; however, changes in affect depended on partner type and sexual behaviors. Findings have implications for sexual health education.
Although sexual behavior has been linked to mental health and well-being in adolescence and adulthood, relatively little is known about how sexual behavior is associated with well-being in emerging adulthood. This article uses data from college students (N = 364; Mage = 18.4; range = 16.9–20.8; 57.4% female; 29.1% Hispanic/Latino [HL], 25.0% non-HL European American, 17.3% non-HL Asian American, 17.0% non-HL African American, and 11.5% non-HL multiracial) who reported vaginal intercourse on at least 1 day during six semesters of 14-day data collection (n = 26,609 total days; n = 2,313 vaginal sex days). Multilevel models showed that students reported higher levels of positive affect on days they had vaginal sex compared to days they did not. Students reported higher levels of negative affect if they had sex with a nondating partner or experienced more negative consequences of sex. Findings suggest that sex is associated with better short-term well-being in emerging adulthood, but this association differs by situational factors.
Among young women, hookups have been found to lead to varied emotional responses. The authors tested three hypotheses to disentangle these contradictory findings in a weekly diary study. A trait-level motives hypothesis suggests that trait-level motives moderate emotional responses to hookups. A motive satisfaction hypothesis suggests that emotional responses to hooking up depend on satisfaction within hookups. A dual-effects hypothesis proposes the co-occurrence of positive and negative emotional responses. In this study, 203 college women reported trait-level motives for hooking up (e.g., pleasure/fun, intimacy, coping). Next, 5 weekly surveys asked about recent hookup experiences. These responses were compared to the same women’s emotions on weeks they did not hook up, thereby controlling for selection bias. All three hypotheses were supported. Pleasure/fun motives predicted more positive and less negative emotions; satisfaction of pleasure, intimacy, and affirmation motives resulted in more positive and less negative emotions; and simultaneous positive and negative reactions were common.
Introduction:
Few studies have examined associations between using alcohol only and using both alcohol and marijuana with sexual behavior on specific occasions. The current study examined alcohol and marijuana use during the most recent sexual experience in association with relationship characteristics, psychological issues, and condom use.
Methods:
Young adult drinkers aged 18-25 who reported not using a condom during sex in the past month were recruited nationally. An analytic subsample (N = 378) was identified based on substance use during the most recent sexual experience [53% female, 70% Caucasian; mean age = 22.42 years (SD = 1.90)]. Using logistic regression, two dummy codes compared the alcohol use only group (n = 197) and the both alcohol and marijuana group (n = 95) to the group who used neither substance (n = 86). Participant sex, drinking frequency, and number of sexual partners were included as covariates.
Results:
The alcohol only group and the both alcohol and marijuana group had greater odds of being with a casual acquaintance and loss of respect compared to the group who used neither substance. The alcohol only group had greater odds of being with someone they just met and embarrassment compared to the group who used neither substance. No associations were found for condom use or emotional difficulties.
Conclusions:
Preventative interventions may need to address both alcohol and marijuana to more effectively reduce risky behaviors.
Using data from the Online College Social Life Survey, we examine the contexts in which there is a gender gap in regretting hookups, as well as the mechanisms that explain these gender gaps. Results suggest that gender differences in regret are larger following (and in the case of most recent hookups, limited to) hookups that involve vaginal intercourse. The gender gap in hookup regret is mostly a function of gender differences in sexual initiation, sexual agency, sexual enjoyment, loss of respect from one’s partner, and loss of self-respect. These findings suggest that the gendered norms and power imbalance created by the sexual double standard explain why women regret hookups involving vaginal intercourse more often than men do.
The field of couple and relationship education is dominated by a focus on helping committed couples strengthen their relationship. This article reviews several lines of research to argue that the field should give greater priority to youth relationship education—individually oriented relationship literacy education for adolescents and young adults. Serious problems are common in adolescent and young adult romantic relationships and increasing numbers of youth follow paths from adolescence to marriage that make it harder for them to form and sustain a healthy marriage. Early evidence on the effectiveness of individually oriented youth relationship education provides some reason for optimism. The article concludes by exploring implications of this proposed shift in the field for practice and policy.
Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are common among emerging adults, and their diversity may contribute to variability in their associations with mental health and future romantic relationship development. The present research used multiple regression analyses to examine how CSRE type (casual dating, friends with benefits [FWB], or booty call/one-night stand) is associated with short-term outcomes of these experiences, including positive and negative evaluations, plans to start a romantic relationship with a CSRE partner, and general plans for future CSREs. College students and non-college-attending emerging adults (N = 192, 80% female, mean age = 22.09 years) reported on recent sexual encounters through daily diaries collected around an alcohol consumption holiday. Individuals with casual dating partners evaluated their experiences more positively and/or less negatively than individuals with booty calls/one-night stands; these associations were moderated by gender and sexual behavior type. Individuals with casual dating partners were more oriented toward pursuing a romantic relationship with their partners than individuals with FWB or booty calls/one-night stands. However, no association was found between CSRE type and plans for future CSREs in general. Results highlight the diversity of CSREs and suggest that casual dating may be more rewarding than FWB and booty calls/one-night stands, particularly for women.
The present research examined how the within-person association between sexual initiation and internalizing symptoms decays over time, using data with annual measurement occasions across adolescence (N = 1,789) and statistical models of within-person change. Sexual initiation was associated with increased levels of internalizing symptoms for early-initiating girls (ninth grade, approximately age 15), but not for on-time-initiating girls or for boys. The association between girls' early sexual initiation and internalizing symptoms declined precipitously over time. Indeed, 1 year after sexual debut, early-initiating girls were similar to on-time or noninitiating girls on internalizing symptoms, suggesting early sexual initiation does not produce lasting detriments to girls' mental health. Findings inform how researchers perceive sexual initiation, both as a developmental milestone and as a prevention target.
Research suggests that the perceived hookup attitudes of close referents are generally a poor predictor of hookup behavior and likely a poor direct predictor of negative hookup consequences. The current study aimed to examine three intervening variables as mediators of the relationship between the perceived hookup attitudes of college students’ close friends and negative hookup consequences (e.g., regret, embarrassment). Self-report data were collected from 589 heavy-drinking college students from three midsized universities. The results indicated that students’ own attitudes toward hooking up, motivation to hook up, and self-reported number of hookup partners significantly mediated the relationship between the perceived hookup attitudes of close friends and negative hookup consequences. The perceived hookup attitudes of close friends were positively associated with participants’ attitudes toward hooking up. Participants’ attitudes toward hooking up were positively associated with social-sexual motivation to hook up. Elevated social-sexual motivation to hook up was positively associated with hooking up with multiple partners, with hooking up with multiple partners positively associated with negative hookup consequences. A better understanding of the predictors and mediators of negative hookup consequences has the potential to inform prevention and intervention efforts.
Most studies on casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are quantitative and focus on characteristics of individuals who experience them. There has been an increase in qualitative research on CSREs that have revealed new insights into how they are experienced among young adults. To synthesize qualitative knowledge on how CSREs are experienced, a qualitative metasynthesis was carried out using 13 studies published up to June, 2015, yielding seven conceptual categories. Opportunities and choices regarding CSREs were organized according to biographical context, socioenvironmental context, and peer norms. Expectations of CSREs related to lack of communication, emotional, and sexual commitment or accountability. Implicit rules allowed maintaining boundaries between sex and emotion. Thus, CSREs can satisfy various needs related to sex and intimacy. Sex in CSREs was reported as pleasure-centred, accessible, and improved when experienced in association with intimacy. However, intimacy and gender roles interfered with condom use. The sexual double standard and gender roles limited women's agency and enjoyment of sex. Expectations for the lack of intimacy and communication conflicted with developing unrequited feelings, resulting in self-blame and attempts to suppress emotions. While partners may have a hard time defining their relationship over time, some CSREs involved developing friendships or romance, and ruining friendships. The results indicate a clash between expectations, rules, and experiences of CSREs. The lack of symbolic markers for the meaning or status of CSREs as they develop can be seen as a consequence of the complexity of these relationships.
The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of positive and negative affect following casual sex. Specifically, the primary goal was to investigate how traditional gender-role beliefs, peer approval of casual sex, perceptions of others, sexual assertiveness, and sexual pleasure influence affective experiences. Second, we aimed to determine the extent to which these associations were comparable for men and women. Although we expected mean differences on many of these constructs (e.g., men perceiving more peer approval), we expected the relationships between these constructs to be comparable for women and men. Participants ages 18 to 35 (N = 585) were recruited from a large university and Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and described their most recent casual sex experience in a self-report questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses indicated that gender-role beliefs were significantly associated with less sexual assertiveness and more negative perceptions of others; for women they were also associated with less peer approval of casual sex. For women and men, sexual assertiveness predicted sexual pleasure; and sexual pleasure was associated with affect. To decrease the gender discrepancy in positive affect and sexual pleasure, it is important to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationships among norms, casual sex experiences, and affect.
Purpose:
To examine how age of onset of sexual intercourse is associated with past-year and lifetime sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and depression in young adulthood.
Methods:
We examined how occurrence of a lifetime and past-year STI, lifetime diagnosis of depression, and past-week depressive symptoms differed as a function of age of onset of sexual intercourse using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health; N = 8,938 individuals). Time-varying effect models were used to examine how age of onset, measured as continuous age, was associated with these outcomes in young adulthood, with all analyses stratified to examine gender differences.
Results:
Individuals who engaged in first intercourse before age 16 reported higher than average rates of all outcomes studied; for example, an estimated 35% of women and 12% of men who initiated at age 14 years reported a lifetime STI, compared with about 5% of those who initiated at age 24 years. Timing of first intercourse past the mid-twenties was associated with lower than average rates of STIs and lifetime depression diagnoses but was associated with a somewhat higher level of past-year depressive symptoms. Patterns were similar by gender, although there was little difference in men's depression diagnoses by age of onset.
Conclusions:
Results suggest that sexual intercourse before age 16 years may be associated with higher rates of STIs and depression. Findings provide support for comprehensive programs that both promote delay of first intercourse and provide safe sex and psychological support for those who initiate early.
The current study explored the association between dating, romantic relationships, and hooking up and the emotional and behavioral health (EBH) of women during college. Participants were 255 female undergraduate students. Results suggest a potential for hooking up, as well as dating and romantic relationships, to be associated with the EBH (especially alcohol use, drug use, and eating pathology) of women. Understanding these interrelations could enhance the relational, emotional, and behavioral health of young women.
Poor mental health has previously been associated with risky sexual health behaviours among young people internationally and in clinical samples, but little is known about this relationship in non-clinical settings. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample of 1345 Australians aged 15-29. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify sexual health behaviours independently associated with recent poor mental health including contraception use, STI testing, sexting and age at first sexual intercourse. Recent poor mental health was reported by 29.7 % of participants and independently associated with female gender (OR 1.8; 95 % CI 1.4-2.4), not identifying as heterosexual (OR 3.0; 95 % CI 2.1-4.4) and young age at first sexual intercourse among female participants (OR 1.4; 95 % CI 1.0-2.0). Results suggest mental health is largely driven by variables other than sexual health behaviours, although youth mental health services should consider inclusion of sexual health promotion within the scope of their services.
We analyze the Online College Social Life Survey, a survey collected between 2005 and 2011 of students (N = 22,454) at 22 U.S. colleges and universities and estimate whether students hooked up, dated, formed long-term romantic relationships, or did not form relationships while in college and their desire for these relationship opportunities. Students have equal rates of hooking up and dating. Men are more likely than women to have dated and hooked up and less likely to have formed a long-term relationship, although they are more likely to wish there were more opportunities to form long-term relationships. An examination of intimate partnering by sexual orientation, race, religious attendance, and Greek culture reveals distinct pattern that can be explained by cultural norms.
The current investigation explored the association between relational uncertainty and communication quality in on-again/off-again (on-off) relationships using partners’ recalled turning points. We assessed how changes between, and patterns across, turning points were associated with communication quality. On-off partners reported on up to ten turning points in their relationship. Changes in uncertainty between turning points were negatively associated with changes in communication. Regarding patterns, fluctuation in uncertainty across the turning points was associated with more current openness. In addition, the association between uncertainty fluctuation and current intimacy depended on the proportion of turning points that were breakups.
Hooking up is a normative behavior among college students that is associated with a range of positive and negative consequences. While previous research has primarily focused on women's negative experiences of hooking up, the current study explored the relationships among hooking up behaviors, psychological distress, and a broad range of negative effects of hooking up in both male and female college students. Using a multisite sample of college students, we developed the 14-item Negative Impact of Hookups Inventory (NIHI) to assess negative health outcomes, emotional responses, and social consequences associated with hooking up. Unprotected sex and having more hookup partners were associated with greater negative experiences of hooking up. Contrary to expectations, there were no gender differences in the total number of negative hookup effects, although men reported more frequent hookups. In addition, negative impacts of hooking up were positively associated with psychological distress regardless of gender. The NIHI may offer a useful tool to assess the negative impacts of hooking up. Understanding students' hookup experiences is an important step toward developing targeted health interventions related to hooking up behavior in young adult populations.
Despite general perceptions of committed romantic relationships as the most satisfying context with which to engage in sexual activity, acceptance of casual sexual contexts has increased in recent years. Yet little research has examined sexual and emotional satisfaction outside of the committed relationship context. Further, most satisfaction research has focused exclusively on heterosexual samples. The present study aimed to investigate sexual and emotional satisfaction derived from seven sexual relationship contexts and note similarities or differences based on gender and sexual orientation. Data were drawn from an online survey of 6,955 sexually diverse participants. Sexual satisfaction was stronger than emotional satisfaction within casual sex contexts (one night stand, first date, sex with a friend, and hookups) than within more committed contexts (married, living together, committed unmarried relationship). Men found all contexts except for sex in a committed unmarried relationship significantly more sexually and emotionally satisfying than women. Emotional and sexual satisfaction were significantly different across sexual orientation groups in casual sexual relationship contexts but not in more committed relationship contexts. Gay men reported gaining the most sexual and emotional satisfaction out of casual sex contexts, with lesbian women reporting the least out of casual sexual contexts. Overall, this research found that a wide variety of relationship contexts, including casual sexual contexts, can be a source of both sexual and emotional satisfaction.
Researchers are beginning to explore the variety of casual sexual relationships that individuals engage in. These relationships, and the subtle nuances that differentiate them, have not been studied collectively. The purpose of the present study was to qualitatively examine casual sexual relationships (CSRs), ranging from a single encounter to an ongoing sexual relationship with a friend. Male and female focus group participants identified a number of implicit and explicit rules that guide the initiation, maintenance, and termination of four types of casual sexual relationships: One Nights Stands, Booty Calls, Fuck Buddies, and Friends with Benefits. Participants identified these rules regardless of gender or whether they had previous personal experience with any of these CSRs. The results suggest that each of these relationship types can be placed on a continuum of casual sex according to various dimensions, including frequency of contact, type of contact (sexual and/or social), personal disclosure, discussion of the relationship, and friendship. Participants' shared understanding of CSRs suggests that young adults may have common cultural knowledge of these relationships and a fluid conceptualization of what constitutes a relationship.
College students’ “hookups” have been the subject of a great deal of research in recent years. Motivations for hooking up have been linked to differences in well-being after the hookup, but studies detailing college students’ motivations for engaging in hookups focus on single motivations. Using data from the 2010 Duke Hookup Survey, we consider how motivations for hooking up cluster to produce different classes, or profiles, of students who hook up, and how these classes are related to hookup regret. Four distinct classes of motivations emerged from our latent class analysis: Utilitarians (50 percent), Uninhibiteds (27 percent), Uninspireds (19 percent), and Unreflectives (4 percent). We find a number of differences in hookup motivation classes across social characteristics, including gender, year in school, race-ethnicity, self-esteem, and attitudes about sexual behavior outside committed relationships. In addition, Uninspireds regret hookups more frequently than members of the other classes, and Uninhibiteds report regret less frequently than Utilitarians and Uninspireds. These findings reveal the complexity of motivations for hooking up and the link between motivations and regret.
Objectives: Popular media and research have predominately focused on the risks of hooking up, which may stigmatize young people. In the current study, we identify factors that facilitate positive hookups. Methods: College students (N = 250) in the United States reported hookup motives, sexual self-concept, sexual satisfaction, and emotional reactions to a hookup. Results: Emotional reactions were more positive than negative. Intimacy and pleasure motives predicted sexual satisfaction; self-affirmation motives predicted positive emotional reactions. Hookups with a previous partner were rated as more satisfying. Conclusions: Understanding qualities associated with positive hookups may better equip young adults to make informed decisions about their sexual lives.
Casual sex has become a normative experience among young people, raising concerns regarding its well-being consequences. Prior findings on main effects of casual sex on well-being are mixed, suggesting possible moderating factors. Using longitudinal and weekly diary methodologies, this study examined the moderating influence of sociosexuality, a stable personality orientation toward casual sex, on psychological well-being (self-esteem, life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety) following penetrative (oral, vaginal, or anal) casual sex among single undergraduates. As predicted, sociosexuality moderated the effect of casual sex on well-being on a weekly basis across 12 consecutive weeks, over one semester, and over one academic year. Sociosexually unrestricted students typically reported higher well-being after having casual sex compared to not having casual sex; there were no such differences among restricted individuals. Few gender differences were found. Findings are discussed in terms of authenticity in one's sexual behaviors.
This study examined how phases of romantic relationship development (honeymoon, defining, and established) were related to positive and negative relationship qualities. Participants (N = 136) completed self-report measures. Results found significant differences between phases of romantic relationship development for all three positive relationship qualities, but each had a unique pattern of variation: (a) levels of intimacy had a linear increase across phases, (b) constructive communication strategies were higher in the established phase as compared with the earlier phases, and (c) negotiation was higher in both the defining and established phases as compared to the honeymoon phase. Results for negative relationships qualities found an inverted U-shaped pattern for both destructive communication strategies and psychological aggression.