College students who indulge in casual sex have higher rates of depression and anxiety, according to a new study headed by Cal State Sacramento professor Melina Bersamin.
The study, released in June, looked at 3,900 heterosexual college students between the ages of 18 and 25 from across the U.S. and asked them about their recent sexual activity as well as their mental well-being.
Through the study, Bersamin and nine other researchers found higher levels of anxiety and depression in young adults who have casual sex.
Bersamin, who has worked in child development for 15 years, said she has “always been interested in how young adults define things differently.”
“Different definitions of ideals cause different behaviors to people,” she said. “Therefore, ambiguity of the terms on casual sex led me to this study.”
According to the study, “casual sex” is defined as sexual intercourse between two people who have known each other for less than a week.
The study also found that casual sex and “hook-ups” had a negative association with psychological well-being and led to physiological stress, according to the study.
According to Brad Compliment of Counseling and Psychological Services at Cal State Long Beach, approaches to sexuality vary between individuals.
“Feelings one has after actions will certainly vary and may include one’s values and principles that may have been jeopardized,” Compliment said, “but that will depend on each individual and how they make meaning in their lives.”
The study also looked at gender roles and their effects on the link between mental well-being and casual sex. It found that such roles had no effect on this link — results that surprised Bersamin, she said.
“I thought there would be a gender difference,” she said. “We see lots of differences in male versus female engagements, so there would be a difference in outcome. We would think that males may feel less depressed and anxious.”
Bersamin said the study reveals many negative results of casual sex.
“When we think of health, we think of physical health,” she said. “When we think of negative outcomes of casual sex, we think of contracting [sexually transmitted diseases], which is a physical concern. But this study focuses on mental health.”
Compliment said the same, adding that any type of sexual behavior involves more than physical reasons.
“As with any actions that we do, there will be a combination of mental, moral, social, psychological and behavioral components,” Compliment said.
Despite the recent findings, Bersamin said more research needs to be done to better understand the connection between casual sex and depression or anxiety, including whether one may cause the other.
“We have found that there is a link … but we are not fully aware of the relationship between the two variables,” she said.
