Sexual passion represents a multidimensional construct encompassing one’s love of sex, investment in sexual activities, and incorporation of sexuality into self-definition, yet its development remains understudied. Using the Triadic Sexual Passion model (i.e., harmonious, obsessive, inhibited), this study examined how early emerging adulthood factors predict sexual passion seven years later. Data from 1,073 emerging adults in the United States assessed demographic, wellbeing, and relational factors at Wave 1, with sexual passion measured at Wave 7. Regression analyses revealed sexual regret associated with lower harmonious passion, while helicopter parenting was significantly associated with higher inhibited passion. Drug use and personal income were associated with obsessive passion. These findings demonstrate how context plays a role in sexual passion, highlighting the need to tailor interventions based upon individual circumstances to promote healthy sexual development during emerging adulthood.
AllenM. S.IliescuD.GreiffS. (2022). Single-item measures in psychological science: A call to action [Editorial].European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 38(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000699
2.
ArnettJ. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.5.469
3.
BeaudoinJ.BouizegareneN.FortinA.PhilippeF. L.VallerandR. J. (2021). The role of sexual passion in romantic relationship functioning: A dyadic analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38(2), 725–741. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407520972191
4.
BoislardM.-A.Van de BongardtD.BlaisM. (2016). Sexuality (and lack thereof) in adolescence and early adulthood: A review of the literature. Behavioral Sciences, 6(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs6010008
5.
BusbyD. M.ChiuH.LeonhardtN. D.IliffE. (2019). Sexual passion in committed relationships: Measurement and conceptual issues. Family Process, 58(3), 734–748. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12385
6.
BusbyD. M.LeonhardtN. D.JamesS. (2019). A closer look at sexual passion in relationships. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(10), 2940–2953. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01682-4
7.
CheshireE.KaestleC. E.MiyazakiY. (2019). The influence of parent and parent–adolescent relationship characteristics on sexual trajectories into adulthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(3), 893–910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1380-7
8.
FisherM. L.WorthK.GarciaJ. R.MeredithT. (2011). Feelings of regret following uncommitted sexual encounters in Canadian university students. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 14(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2011.619579
9.
DegenhardtL.HallW., (2001). The relationship between tobacco use, substance-use disorders and mental health: Results from the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 3(3), 225–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/14622200110050457
10.
KourosC. D.PruittM. M.EkasN. V.KiriakiR.SunderlandM. (2017). Helicopter parenting, autonomy support, and college students’ mental health and well-being: The moderating role of sex and ethnicity. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26, 939–949. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0614-3
11.
LeBlancJ. E.LyonsS. T. (2022). Helicopter parenting during emerging adulthood: Consequences for career identity and adaptability. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 886979. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.886979
12.
LeonhardtN. D.BusbyD. M.ValdezC. (2020). Pursuit of harmony: Relational and individual predictors of sexual passion expression. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29(8), 2935–2950. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01769-w
13.
MatthewsR. A.PineaultL.HongY. (2022). Correction to: Normalizing the use of single-item measures: Validation of the single-item compendium for organizational psychology. Journal of Business and Psychology, 37(4), 873. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-022-09816-0
14.
MorganE. M. (2013). Contemporary issues in sexual orientation and identity development in emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 1(1), 52–66. (Original work published 2013). https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696812469187
15.
Padilla-WalkerL. M.NelsonL. J. (2012). Black hawk down? Establishing helicopter parenting as a distinct construct from other forms of parental control during emerging adulthood. Journal of Adolescence, 35(5), 1177–1190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.03.007
16.
PhilippeF. L.VallerandR. J.Beaulieu-PelletierG.MalihaG.LaventureS.Ricard-St-AubinJ.-S. (2019). Development of a dualistic model of sexual passion: Investigating determinants and consequences. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(8), 2537–2552. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-01524-w
17.
PhilippeF. L.VallerandR. J.Bernard-DesrosiersL.GuilbaultV.RajotteG. (2017). Understanding the cognitive and motivational underpinnings of sexual passion from a dualistic model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(5), 769–785. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000116
18.
PirroneD.Zondervan-ZwijnenburgM.ReitzE.van den EijndenR. J.Ter BogtT. F. (2022). Pornography use profiles and the emergence of sexual behaviors in adolescence. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51(2), 1141–1156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02140-3
19.
SchiffrinH. H.LissM.Miles-McLeanH.GearyK. A.ErchullM. J.TashnerT. (2014). Helping or hovering? The effects of helicopter parenting on college students’ well-being. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23(3), 548–557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9716-3
20.
ShovellerJ. A.JohnsonJ. L.LangilleD. B.MitchellT. (2004). Socio-cultural influences on young people’s sexual development. Social Science & Medicine, 59(3), 473–487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2003.11.017
21.
StatonM.LeukefeldC.LoganT. K.ZimmermanR.LynamD.MilichR.MartinC.McClanahanK.ClaytonR. (1999). Risky sex behavior and substance use among young adults. Health & Social Work, 24(2), 147–154. https://doi.org/10.1093/hsw/24.2.147
22.
ToatesF. (2009). An integrative theoretical framework for understanding sexual motivation, arousal, and behavior. The Journal of Sex Research, 46(2-3), 168–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490902747768
23.
ValdezC. M.LeonhardtN. D.BusbyD. M. (2021). Sexual passion and attachment: Sexual passion style as a mediator between attachment insecurity and sexual satisfaction in committed relationships. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 47(3), 614–628. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12452
VallerandR. J.BlanchardC.MageauG. A.KoestnerR.RatelleC.LéonardM.GagnéM.MarsolaisJ. (2003). Les passions de l'âme: On obsessive and harmonious passion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(4), 756–767. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.4.756
26.
VasilenkoS. A.LefkowitzE. S. (2018). Sexual behavior and daily affect in emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 6(3), 191–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696818767503
27.
VasilenkoS. A.LefkowitzE. S.WelshD. P. (2014). Is sexual behavior healthy for adolescents? A conceptual framework for research on adolescent sexual behavior and physical, mental, and social health. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2014(144), 3–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20057
28.
WrightP. J. (2012). A longitudinal analysis of us adults’ pornography exposure: Sexual socialization, selective exposure, and the moderating role of unhappiness. Journal of Media Psychology: Theories, Methods, and Applications, 24(2), 67–76. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000063
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
