The University of Minnesota and researchers from Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) has found no difference in psychological wellbeing between those who engage in casual sex and those in committed relationships.

Doctor Marla Eisenberg and her researching team reviewed information from 1,311 people aged 18-24 (average age: 20.5) about their most recent sexual encounters and their psychological health. 574 were male; 737 were female. The information was collected from 2003-2004.

55 percent reported their last sexual encounter to be with an exclusive partner, and 25 percent with a life partner. 12 percent reported a close, non-exclusive partner, and 8 percent reported a casual partner. Men were twice as likely to report a non-exclusive or casual partner.

Dr. Eisenberg reports, "When we looked at the emotional wellbeing across these groups we really found no differences, in things like body satisfaction, in self-esteem and depressive symptoms."

She also notes that the study does not downplay the physical health risks, “It’s things like STD prevention and pregnancy prevention and we really need to focus on those when we're doing health education programming with young adults."

The study was funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Service Administration, and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

It is published in the December issue of the academic journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

http://www1.umn.edu/news/todays-news/2009/UR_CONTENT_159438.html

http://wcco.com/local/study.measures.casual.2.1357928.html

http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/AHC_CONTENT_159312.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579898,00.html

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/12/11/casual-sex-doesnt-cause-emotional-damage-study.html

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/emotional_ok_on_casual_sex_7DqnPXDMIxpoT9cmMzOviI

http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/12/09/is-casual-sex-harmful/10071.html

http://www.health24.com/news/Sexuality/1-944,53895.asp