Reluctant virginity: the relationship between sexual status and self-esteem

<p>The purpose of this study is to identify group differences between sexual status (reluctant virgins, satisfied virgins, and non-virgins) in college students. Specifically, this study explored differences between groups in self-esteem (global, social, and body), dating (length of relationship and number of dating partners), and the beliefs in the double standard mediating differences in self-esteem. It was hypothesized that reluctant virgins would have lower self-esteem and shorter relationships than satisfied virgins and non-virgins. There was modest support for the stated hypotheses: reluctant virgins had lower social self esteem (<em>M</em>= 114.4) than non-virgins (<em>M</em>= 138.5). Reluctant virgins also had a poorer body image (<em>M</em> = 153.9) than both satisfied virgins (<em>M</em> = 196.57) and non-virgins (<em>M</em>= 155.12). Lastly, reluctant virgins experienced shorter dating relationships (<em>M</em>= 6.00) than non-virgins (<em>M</em>= 25.5).</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Applied Psychology

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2008

Author dc:creator

• DiMauro, Dina

Contributors dc:contributor

• Angelone, DJ

• College students--Sexual behavior; Sexual behavior surveys
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/717

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1701