The sexually liberated college student--fact or fancy.

Abstract

This paper examines the sexual experiences and behavior of a college student population. The target population was 21,677 full-time single female and male undergraduates at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. A random sample of 1627 students were selected and given questionnaires. 622 (38%) of the students responded; 321 were single females and 235 were single males. 41% of the students were Catholic; 89% were white; and 89% of the students were 23 years of age or younger. The questionnaire contained questions concerning social and demographic background, sources of sexual information, sexual behavior and attitudes, contraceptive usage and parental attitudes. 1/3 of the women had never had intercourse. 10% of those who had had intercourse had it only once prior to the preceding 12 months. 20% had had intercourse 2-11 times in the last year; 47% had intercourse 1 or more times a week. Only 5% reported they were currently having sex with more than one partner. 23.7% indicated they were dating but not engaging in intercourse. 1/5 of the males had not had intercourse while 10% of those who had had intercourse in the last 12 months had it only once. 29% had intercourse 2-11 times in the last year. 1/3 of those who had had intercourse had it 1 or more times a week. The men reported having had slightly fewer current sexual relationships than the women. Sex with more than 1 partner was reported by 8.3% of the men. Only 9% of the women reported having orgasm with penile thrusting alone. 36% of the sexually active females had difficulty achieving orgasm all or most of the time. 19% of the males who had had intercourse reported problems in sexual functioning. 22% of the women had had unwanted pregnancies of which most were terminated by abortion. Only 23% of the sexually active females and their partners had used an effective method of contraception. Only 9% of the males used an effective method. Women reported that condoms (44%), withdrawal (43%), abortion (32%), luck (36%), nothing (33%), the diaphragm (22%), and rhythm (25%) were used sometimes. 19% reported consistent use of a diaphragm while 10% reported consistent use of the pill. Men reported use of the condom (45%), withdrawal (46%), the pill (32%), luck (30%), and rhythm (24%) some of the time. 17% reported consistent use of the pill while 13% reported consistent use of the condom. Students are found to not be as sexually active and certainly not as promiscuous as their "sexually liberated" press implies.