Casual sex may not be emotionally damaging

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- A U.S. study of sexual encounters of young adults outside a committed romantic relationship found no differences in psychological well-being, researchers say.

Marla E. Eisenberg of the University of Minnesota and colleagues used data from the University of Minnesota Project Eating Among Teens, an ongoing study that assessed a diverse sample of 1,311 sexually active young adults.

From 2003-2004, 574 males and 737 females in Minnesota with a mean age of 20.5 were surveyed regarding sexual behaviors and emotional well-being.

Of the sexually active, 55 percent reported that their last sexual partner was an exclusive dating partner, and 25 percent said their most recent partner was a fiance, spouse, or life partner. Another12 percent reported their last sexual partner was a close but not exclusive partner and 8 percent said it was a casual acquaintance. Twice as many males as females reported that their last partner was either a "casual acquaintance" or "close but not exclusive partner."

"While the findings from this study show that young adults engaging in casual sexual encounters do not appear to be at increased risk for harmful psychological outcomes compared to those in more committed relationships, this should not minimize the legitimate threats to physical well-being associated with casual sexual relationships," Eisenberg said in a statement.

The findings were published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.