University is often portrayed as a hotbed of sexual experimentation. While new University students may view experimenting with sex as a rite of passage, some students find less joy than others.
A study of the emotional experiences and sexual behaviors’ from University of Alberta found that emotionally mature students may get more positive benefits from sex than their less-mature counterparts.
The study by doctoral student Andrea Dalton and her supervisor Nancy Galambos surveyed first-year students over an eight-month period. The study included oral and penetrative intercourse.
Rather than being a enjoying sexual utopia, students who were living outside of their family home environment reported having more negative emotions than those students who lived at home.
The transition to university and moving from home into new social surroundings is filled with stressors, says Dalton. Sexual intimacy could be a coping mechanism for chasing the blues away.
“There seems to be some kind of compensatory effect of sexual behavior that brings that negative emotion right down,” she said “and was another side of what the relation between emotion and sexual relations might mean for students.”
“Students who are essentially on the correct developmental timeline with respect to maturity experience sexual behavior in a positive way,” said Dalton. “Immature students, in particular, seem to have negative experiences associated with their sexual behavior.”
Dalton points out that previous research portrayed sexual activity in young people as inherently negative.
For youth who are “on track” emotionally and psychologically sex may not necessarily be a bad thing.
The findings point to the notion that the mature students were ready for sex and the psychological and emotional outcomes of that behavior, she said.
The mature students, she notes, benefitted positively by engaging in sexual behavior, she said.
However immature students experienced increased negative emotion after penetrative sex, but not oral sex.
Dalton suggests that students may view oral sex less seriously reducing the emotional impact.
Dalton cautions engaging in sexual behavior as the ultimate litmus test for maturity.
It is important to consider your motives for sex, personal situation, level of readiness, and the potential risks of STD’s, pregnancy, she said.
A recent study from the University of Minnesota suggested that casual sdid not cause long term emotional damage.
“Sexual behavior can just be one component of this big puzzle that kids are experiencing as part of the transition to university,” said Dalton. “It definitely shouldn’t be interpreted as a generally negative behavior. “
“It is a goal of healthy human development to include healthy sexuality as well.”
