Affective reactions of women to their initial experience of coitus

Abstract

A sample of sexually experienced college students was utilized to explore the affective reactions of women to their first sexual intercourse and to identify possible correlates. Pearson product‐moment correlations and multiple regression analyses were employed to test the association between affective reactions and a group of predictor variables, including social background, family background, peer influences, sexual attitudes, adolescent courtship experiences, and situational factors of the first intercourse. The results indicate that women experience a wide range of affect and that pleasure, anxiety, and guilt appear to be the most salient of these affective reactions. Correlational analyses reveal that previous rehearsal of non‐coital sexual interaction and situational components of the first intercourse itself are important predictors of these affective reactions. The report closes with a consideration of potential avenues for future research.