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Sexual Motivations and Engagement in Sexual Behavior During the Transition to College

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Abstract

Motivations for and against sex are salient predictors of engaging in or abstaining from sex in cross-sectional studies. Participants (N = 637, 41.4% male) provided data on their motivations for and against sex and lifetime sexual behavior prior to entering college and six months into the first year in college. Longitudinal data were used to examine differences on motivations for and against sex reported the summer before college entrance for students who continued to abstain (Nevers, 44.7%), transitioned to sexual behavior in the following months (Transitioners, 11.0%), and who were previously sexually active (Actives, 44.3%). Multivariate analysis of variance analyses indicated that Transitioners evidenced mean-level differences in motivations surrounding sex (greater intimacy and enhancement motives for sex, lower values motives against sex) prior to their behavioral initiation compared to Nevers. In addition, Transitioners reported greater changes in motivations from pre-college to the six-month follow-up, including increased enhancement motivations for sex and decreased values and not ready motivations against sex. Men reported more important motivations for sex and less important motivations against sex than women, with an interaction showing that sexually experienced women reported more important intimacy motivations and sexually inexperienced men reported more important coping motivations for sex. Identifying salient motivations associated with imminent changes in sexual behavior may support the development of sexual health promotion programs that seek to reach sexually inexperienced individuals at important times of transition.

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Notes

  1. To test for potential differences based on the study design, MANOVAs with marijuana use pre-college and randomized intervention group as covariates were examined. Adding these two covariates did not change any of the previously statistically significant results as reported.

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Acknowledgements

Data collection was supported by a grant from the National Institute for Drug Abuse to C. Lee (R21 DA019257). Manuscript preparation was funded by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to M. Patrick (F31 AA017014).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106-1248, USA

    Megan E. Patrick

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Christine M. Lee

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  1. Megan E. Patrick
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  2. Christine M. Lee
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Correspondence to Megan E. Patrick.

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Patrick, M.E., Lee, C.M. Sexual Motivations and Engagement in Sexual Behavior During the Transition to College. Arch Sex Behav 39, 674–681 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9435-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-008-9435-9

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