Individual and Relationship Predictors of Trajectories of Sexual Function across Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships

ABSTRACT

Many young adults report poor sexual function, but research typically fails to consider relationship context and how problems might evolve over time. Research is needed to provide insights into how sexual problems are experienced across relationships, as well as the types of sexual function problems associated with various trajectories. We investigated retrospective trajectories of sexual problems across the multiple relationships of 688 young adults (18–24 years) as well as the individual and relationship factors associated with these trajectories. Both persistent suboptimal and optimal trajectories emerged for men and women. However, persistent and variable problematic function trajectories also emerged for women (and not men). Across all individual and relationship factors analyzed, multivariate multinomial regression analysis indicated that higher sexual esteem and more traditional gender beliefs best predicted membership in trajectories capturing better sexual function. Implications are discussed in terms of the need to provide substantive information regarding sexual function to young people as they transition to adulthood.

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