A Fertile Ground for Ambiguities: Casual Sexual Relationships Among Portuguese Emerging Adults

Abstract

Casual sexual relationships (CSRs) are frequent relationship experiences in young adulthood that provide opportunities for many to explore sexual relationships and to construct their sexual identity. Empirical research on casual sex is still lacking outside North-American countries, despite evidence pointing to the need to contextualize sexual interactions in their own sociocultural context. In order to better understand casual sexual relationships, these should be examined in with novel samples in other countries where a “hookup culture” as it is described in the North-American university campus is apparently absent. Through a qualitative study, we explored what casual sexual relationships consist of according to the perceptions of Portuguese college students (N = 35). The thematic analysis of eight focus group interviews resulted in the generation of six themes, three of which are presented here: (1) What CSRs are, regarding features and types of CSRs, (2) Why individuals engage in CSRs, focusing on positive and negative motivations, and (3) What one gets from CSRs, focusing on positive and negative outcomes of CSRs. Our findings showed that Portuguese emerging adults are familiarized with CSRs, particularly with one-night stand, friends with benefits and “curte”/hookup. Sexual interactions associated with other CSRs, such as booty call or fuck buddies, were mentioned but rarely associated with a distinctive label and established characteristics. Participants described the CSRs in a partially overlapping manner presenting some areas of ambiguity, such as with regard to sexual exclusivity and still-unlabeled sexual interactions. CSRs are generally evaluated as positively motivated and mainly beneficial. This study adds to the literature around casual sexual relationships by exploring and describing CSRs in a different sociocultural context, as well as indicating directions for future research in order to better prepare and empower young adults in their sexual and relational trajectories.

Multiple Casual Sex Scripts: Shared Beliefs about Behavior among Portuguese Emerging Adults

“…The goal of the first task was to complete the lists of script elements (actions and events) by adding actions participants considered to be usually present in the CSRs. The list of actions and events were obtained in a previous qualitative study (Alvarez, Pegado, et al., 2021 ; Luz et al., 2022 ), from which stemmed, among other themes, an important body of information concerning the beginning and ending of each CSR, sexual experience and sexual protection, the role of new technologies, and underlying scripts and rules. The need to complete these lists arose from the fact that during those focus group interviews there was no explicit request or instruction to describe what occurred from the beginning to the end in each CSR, and all actions were spontaneously reported by the participants (Eaton & Rose, 2012 ).…”

“…One interesting aspect that emerges as central in this script is the role of the social network, which seems to facilitate the encounter, as the group acts as the promoter of the context for the meeting to take place. Young adults may find themselves acting under the pressure of their social network (Luz et al., 2022 ) and may incur more health risk from behaviors such as unprotected sex (Holman & Sillars, 2012 ). Flirting is one essential part of this script, constituting a very detailed sub-script.…”

“…Rules are part of the friends with benefits and hookup scripts and are mostly focused on ensuring that CSR partners have no obligations nor are (romantically) committed to each other, and that the relationship remains in the intimate sphere. Given that one risk associated with CSRs is the development of romantic feelings (Luz et al., 2022 ), when there are repeated encounters, it may be important to both partners to make explicit that these relationships are meant to be uncommitted and entail neither personal responsibilities nor public awareness of them. Nevertheless, the development of romantic feelings by one of the partners is scripted as a frequent outcome in friends with benefits , probably due to the stronger and more profound emotional bond, which more often serves as a reason to terminate the relationship than to transition to a committed one (Machia et al., 2020 ).…”

“…Besides the avoidance of risky sexual behaviors such as condom less casual sex, sexual health also refers to an overall state of well-being regarding sexuality, as well as a positive approach to sexual relationships (WHO, 2017 ). Sexual pleasure, which is a core motivation for engaging in casual sex (Luz et al., 2022 ), is defined as the “physical and or psychological satisfaction and enjoyment one derives from any erotic interaction” (Philpott et al., 2006 ) and constitutes an important aspect of sexual health, being considered essential for overall health and wellbeing (Coleman et al., 2021 ). Further knowledge about casual sex scripts may provide essential information concerning elements and actions that may contribute to sexual pleasure and sexual health.…”

Condom Use Beliefs Differ According to Regulatory Focus in Sexuality: A Multi-Method Study in Portugal and Spain

“…Some of these motives may arise in relationships people have with casual partners with whom they want to develop a relationship. Indeed, we did not control whether participants considered sex behaviors with one-night stands, casual sex relationships, friends with benefits, or any other type of casual (albeit regular) regular partner (Anders et al, 2020;Garcia et al, 2012;Luz et al, 2022).…”