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Sexual Behaviors, Satisfaction, and Intentions to Engage in Casual Sexual Relationships and Experiences in Emerging Adulthood

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Dr. Manfred van Dulmen (Kent State University) for his support of this data collection project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, California State University San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA, 92026, USA

    Sophie E. Hawkins & Haylee K. DeLuca

  2. Department of Psychology, Morningside University, 1501 Morningside Ave, Sioux City, Iowa, 51106, USA

    Shannon E. Claxton

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Elizabeth A. Baker

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Correspondence to Sophie E. Hawkins.

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Hawkins, S.E., DeLuca, H.K., Claxton, S.E. et al. Sexual Behaviors, Satisfaction, and Intentions to Engage in Casual Sexual Relationships and Experiences in Emerging Adulthood. Arch Sex Behav 52, 1575–1591 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02508-z

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