Affective Experiences with Sex and Sexual Satisfaction among Dutch Adolescents: the Consequences of Online and Offline Communication about Sexuality with Friends
Summary
This study highlights the importance of analyzing specific adolescent’ characteristics to determine the exact mechanism behind the effects of online and offline communication about sexuality with friends. Cross-sectional results show that boys are more satisfied with their sexuality when they communicate online about sexuality. Boys also experience more positive affect regarding their sexual experiences when they communicate offline about sexuality. Girls, however, experience less positive affect regarding their sexual experiences when they communicate offline about sexuality. Moreover, longitudinally, sexual experienced adolescent boys are more satisfied with their sexuality when they communicate offline about sexuality, whereas such an effect was not shown for sexual inexperienced boys. For girls, no significant effect of their sexual (in)experience was found on the relationship between online and offline communication about sexuality and sexual satisfaction