E
Edmund_Kemper
Disregard my larping efforts. I can’t change it.
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- Joined
- Sep 26, 2019
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Results: A total of 275 (5.3% (95% CI: 4.7-6.0), 58% males) were virgins. Virgins had higher odds of being male (aOR: 2.27 (95% CI: 1.62-3.17)) and reporting poorer health (1.43 (1.07-1.92)). They had lower odds of living on their own (0.24 (0.18-0.32)), being satisfied with their social life (0.78 (0.72-0.85)), having experimented with substances (e.g. drunkenness, 0.27 (0.19-0.67)) and having used online dating (0.52 (0.26-1.12)) or pornography (0.67 (0.42-0.94)). The main reason for remaining virgin was 'I have not found the right person' for females, and 'I have not had the occasion' for males.Purpose: Swiss data indicate that the average age at first intercourse is just below age 17. However, by age 26 there is a minority of young adults who is still virgin in Switzerland. Our aim was to describe the characteristics of this specific group of young adults.
Methods: Data were drawn from the Swiss national survey on youth sexual behavior carried out in 2017. Out of 5175 participants (49% females; mean age 26) who answered all questions, 275 (5.3%) were virgins and were compared to the rest of the sample. We defined virgins as those never having had any sexual contact. We compared both groups on socioeconomic, familial, academic, social and health- related variables. We also compared them regarding substance use, online sexual behaviors, and life satisfaction. We first ran a bivariate analysis and all significant variables (p<.05) were included in a lo- gistic regression using non-virgins as the reference category. Finally, we asked them the main reasons for remaining virgin.
Results: At the bivariate level, virgins were mainly males (58%), still living with their parents, in poorer physical and mental health, and obese. They reported a better financial situation but a poorer social one. They were significantly less likely to have ever smoked, been drunk, or used cannabis or other illegal drugs. They were also significantly less likely to adopt online sexual behaviors. At the multivariate level, they were more likely to be males (OR: 2.10), in poor physical health (1.52) and obese (1.33), and to consider their financial situation as better (1.15). However, they were less likely to live on their own (.24) or to be satisfied with their social life (.77). Overall they were also less likely to have ever smoked (.39), been drunk (.25) or used cannabis (.38). They were also less likely to encounter persons met on Internet (.52) or to have erotic conversa- tions over the Internet with people they had never met face-to-face (.26). No difference was found for visiting pornographic websites. The main reason for not having had sex for females was I have not found the right person (46%) followed by I want to wait to be married (19%) and for males I have not had the occasion (47%) and I have not found the right person (19%), respectively.
Conclusions: About one young adult in 20 is a virgin by age 26. Young adults who are virgins seem to be overall less socially driven in- dividuals who do not seem to have gone through the usual experi- mentations of adolescence. Interestingly, the main reason reported to explain virginity reveals gender-stereotyping responses. Their poorer health and the fact that they are more likely to be obese (and maybe feel less attractive) may also play a role and needs to be further explored.
Conclusions: Among young adults, 1 in 20 is a virgin. Virgins do not seem to have gone through the usual experimentations of adolescence, are less socially driven and reported more health challenges. The main reason for remaining a virgin reveals gender-stereotyped responses. Sexual inactivity among young adults should be considered by health professionals to ensure the absence of distress and open discussion for potential questions.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34404502/