Casual sexual relationships and their increase over time among Israeli emerging adults: Do these associate with the quality of future relationships?

Abstract

While casual sexual relationships (CSREs) have become common among emerging adults, it is unknown whether these affect future relationships. Guided by a developmental perspective, the current study questions whether engagement in CSREs might be associated with the quality of future relationships by serving as a model of instability. Data were collected from 110 Israeli emerging adults at ages 23, 25, and 28. Contrary to our expectations, the level of engagement in CSREs at age 23 was associated only with a lower capacity to resolve problems and a higher tendency to downplay disagreements at age 28. However, an increase in the level of engagement in CSREs over the 5 years was associated with future negative relationship outcomes, greater avoidant romantic attachment, a tendency to conceal from one’s partner, and a lower sense of certainty and capacity to manage disagreements. Conceptually, findings suggest that when engagement in casual sex is repeated and increases over time, it might become a more stable pattern of behavior and have an adverse effect on future competence in handling a romantic relationship.