Original article
Variations in Coital and Noncoital Sexual Repertoire among Adolescent Women

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.07.009Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

Little is known about factors associated with the day-to-day selection and orchestration of sexual repertoire among adolescent women. Analyzing differences in adolescent women’s sexual activity may augment both the clinical and behavioral understanding of sexuality development and sexual decision making, and may yield important points to enhance existing programs for prevention of sexually transmitted infection or pregnancy.

Methods

Adolescent women (N = 387, aged 14–17 years at enrollment) were recruited from primary care adolescent clinics serving primarily lower- and middle-income patients. Data were taken from daily sexual diaries. A four-category outcome variable, using generalized estimating equation multinomial logistic regression assessed the likelihood of specific sexual behaviors on a given day: none (abstinence), non–coital-only, coital-only, and dual noncoital/coitus. Separate models were analyzed for fellatio, cunnilingus, and anal sex. Predictor variables included age, menstrual bleeding, alcohol or marijuana use, positive or negative mood, recent coitus, recent noncoital sexual activity, partner support or negativity, sexual interest, feeling in love, time of the week, and same-day noncoital behaviors. Coital-only sexual behavior was used as the reference category.

Results

Among adolescent women, abstinence is prevalent on the majority of days. When sexual activity does occur, coital-only activity is most common; however, noncoital behaviors alone and/or in tandem with coitus are not rare.

Conclusions

Differing associations of intrapersonal, partner and situational variables with specific types of day-to-day sexual activity underscores a complex sexual repertoire which may be insufficiently examined with a simple focus on coital risk.

Section snippets

Study design and data

Data were collected as part of a longitudinal study of sexual relationships, sexual behaviors, and STI among young women in middle-to-late adolescence. The larger study (initiated in 1999) consisted of repetitive 84-day diary collection time frames over a period of up to 60 months. The study is ongoing; therefore not all participants have completed the same follow-up period. Subjects contributed several sources of data, including annual and quarterly individual and partner interviews, as well

Distribution of event-level sexual repertoire

In total, subjects contributed 82,208 diary days. In examining day-to-day sexual repertoire, participants reported 76,371 days (92.9% of all diary days) that occurred with no sexual behaviors (abstinence). In all, 1237 days (1.5% of all diary days) were noncoital-only days (130 days with fellatio only, 74 days with cunnilingus only, 35 days with anal sex only, and 998 days with two or more noncoital behaviors). A total of 3588 days were recorded as involving coitus only (4.4% of all days) and

Discussion

These data demonstrate the marked variety within adolescent women’s sexual repertoire, as well as the multiple and often complex sources of influence on day-to-day expressions on that repertoire. In support of existing literature [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], oral genital sexual experience was common, even among those who reported never having coitus [3], [4], [6], [7], [8], [9]. More young women reported ever receiving oral sex than performing oral sex [7]; this contradicts some studies

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grants U01 AI3194 and T32AI07637.

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