Condom use across casual and committed relationships: The role of relationship characteristics.
PLoS One
; 19(7): e0304952, 2024.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39024308
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
While the existence of a complex variety of casual sexual relationships (CSRs) has been acknowledged, studies rarely describe the prevalence of condom use across these relationships or how their hybrid nature, specifically relationship characteristics, affect condom use. This study aims to describe condom use within committed relationships and various types of casual sexual relationships (CSRs), examining the influence of relationship characteristics on condom use among culturally validated relationship types (committed, friends with benefits, hookups, booty call).METHODS:
Emerging adults (N = 728, 18-29 years, M = 22.56; SD = 3.01) completed a survey with four blocks sociodemographics; brief sexual history; relationships over the previous year; and current relationship, assessing relationship type, ten relationship characteristics (e.g., commitment, emotional and sexual exclusivity, partner acquaintance, sexual involvement) and condom use (vaginal, oral, and anal), operationalized by three measures (use at last encounter, likert-type scale and percentage of use).RESULTS:
The results showed patterns in condom use by relationship type and illuminated how relationship characteristics-grouped into three factors commitment, intimacy, and sexuality-mediate condom use. Condom use was more frequent in vaginal than anal and oral sex, and less frequent in committed relationships. No significant differences were found in condom use in vaginal sex between committed relationships and hookups, with condom in these relationships being significantly lower than in booty call. Intimacy mediated between all contrasts tested and condom use in vaginal sex, while sexuality mediated between committed vs. CSRs and condom use in anal and oral sex.CONCLUSIONS:
Findings point to the need of considering the diversity of CSRs for understanding condom use and highlight the role of intimacy as a relevant mechanism associated with condom use in vaginal sex and of sexuality in oral and anal sex, which should be taken into consideration in the tailoring of health promoting efforts.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Conducta Sexual
/
Parejas Sexuales
/
Condones
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PLoS One
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Portugal
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos