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Casual Sexual Relationships and Mental Health in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

Sara E. Sandberg‐Thoma, Claire M. Kamp Dush

The Journal of Sex Research · 2013 · 65 citations · 30 references

TL;DR

Casual sexual relationships are common in emerging adulthood, yet their mental health implications are unclear, with past research showing negative, positive, or no associations, and little research has accounted for prior mental health status. The study aimed to assess mental health before and after engaging in casual sexual relationships among adolescents and emerging adults. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (12,401 participants), the authors measured mental health before and after casual sexual relationships. Adolescents with suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms were more likely to enter casual sexual relationships, which in turn increased the likelihood of suicidal ideation in emerging adulthood.

Abstract

Casual sexual relationships are relatively common in emerging adulthood. Yet the mental health implications of engaging in these relationships are unclear; past research has found negative associations, positive associations, or no association with mental health. In addition, little research has accounted for mental health status prior to entering casual sexual relationships. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 12,401), we measured mental health prior to engaging in casual sexual relationships and subsequent mental health after engaging in these relationships. We found that suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms in adolescence were associated with entrance into casual sexual relationships in emerging adulthood. Furthermore, casual sexual relationships were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting suicidal ideation in emerging adulthood.