Results of a study on casual sex among young adults surprise U researchers. But they note the physical risks.
By JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY, Star Tribune
Last update: December 9, 2009 - 8:24 AM
As most every parent knows, hooking up for casual sex is bad for young people because it causes emotional or psychological damage.
Right?
Well, actually, no. At least not for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, according to a new study by University of Minnesota researchers.
Even they found the results startling.
They asked more than 1,300 young Minnesota adults about their most recent sexual encounters, their self-esteem and their emotional well-being. Interestingly, only about one-fifth of the subjects said their last encounter was casual. But their overall emotional status was no different than the four-fifths who said they were in committed relationships with their most recent sexual partner.
"We were so surprised," said Marla Eisenberg, an assistant professor at the university's School of Public Health who studies adolescent and young adult health.
"The conventional wisdom is that casual sex, 'friends with benefits,' and hooking up is hurtful. That's what we've been teaching kids for decades," especially in the federally funded abstinence-only sex education programs, she said.
Not that Eisenberg advocates casual sex. Far from it.
"Casual sex is not for everyone" as an emotional matter, she said. Moreover, there is real physical risk: Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rising relentlessly, and teen pregnancy rates in Minnesota are on the increase as well.
But, she said, sex education curriculums, parents and public health programs should "focus on the things that are real threats," such as interpersonal violence, pregnancy risk and STDs, not on the theory that casual sex is emotionally harmful.
The researchers surveyed 1,311 young adults in Minnesota, pulled from a group they began following years ago as part of a major ongoing research study in adolescent health and nutrition. All the people in the study were sexually active and answered a series of survey questions about their last sexual encounter, depressive symptoms and self-esteem.
SOURCE: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/78786622.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O
W3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUl
By JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY, Star Tribune
Last update: December 9, 2009 - 8:24 AM
As most every parent knows, hooking up for casual sex is bad for young people because it causes emotional or psychological damage.
Right?
Well, actually, no. At least not for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, according to a new study by University of Minnesota researchers.
Even they found the results startling.
They asked more than 1,300 young Minnesota adults about their most recent sexual encounters, their self-esteem and their emotional well-being. Interestingly, only about one-fifth of the subjects said their last encounter was casual. But their overall emotional status was no different than the four-fifths who said they were in committed relationships with their most recent sexual partner.
"We were so surprised," said Marla Eisenberg, an assistant professor at the university's School of Public Health who studies adolescent and young adult health.
"The conventional wisdom is that casual sex, 'friends with benefits,' and hooking up is hurtful. That's what we've been teaching kids for decades," especially in the federally funded abstinence-only sex education programs, she said.
Not that Eisenberg advocates casual sex. Far from it.
"Casual sex is not for everyone" as an emotional matter, she said. Moreover, there is real physical risk: Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rising relentlessly, and teen pregnancy rates in Minnesota are on the increase as well.
But, she said, sex education curriculums, parents and public health programs should "focus on the things that are real threats," such as interpersonal violence, pregnancy risk and STDs, not on the theory that casual sex is emotionally harmful.
The researchers surveyed 1,311 young adults in Minnesota, pulled from a group they began following years ago as part of a major ongoing research study in adolescent health and nutrition. All the people in the study were sexually active and answered a series of survey questions about their last sexual encounter, depressive symptoms and self-esteem.
SOURCE: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/78786622.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O
W3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUlWhat I think is funny, is that I get much more casual sex meeting ladies on match . com vs this lifestyle. . .to think the lifestyle is about open minded people who want to have NSA fun. . hmmmmmm 
LOL
LOLWe've found that its much easier in California to just "hook up" because most of the clubs who cater to swingers have rooms, beds, pools and jacuzzi inside their premises and you bring your own drinks. Most of the times there is food and a bar to serve the drinks you bring so its all there and all you have to do is show up and dance, get naked and have sexy fun (not in that order).
We have found that "casual sex" is actually what leads to "friends with benefits", because it seems that if the couples click and the casual sex happens, it leads to more time together, and getting to know each other on a friendship basis as well. The concept of being friends first may work for some, but it also eliminates some spontaneous fun that may happen over a first meeting. The friends we have made in this lifestyle are some of the best friends weve ever had. Some we play with, some we hope to, some we never will, it doesnt really matter, friends are friends. To become emotionally involved, maybe to a limited extent, but knowing that we all have our personal lives, and this is a wonderful "extra" keeps our emotions in check.