Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Investigating Breakup Distress and Sexual Regret in Undergraduates' Casual and Committed Sexual Relationships

Abstract

For many emerging adults, committed romantic relationships are perceived as offering the ideal context for sexual exploration and companionship. However, these relationships are often short-term and breakups between committed partners can be emotionally intense and create a significant amount of distress. While casual sex relationships appear to be an increasingly popular alternative, providing many of the same benefits of committed relationships without the emotional involvement, they are also consistently associated with sexual regret. Previous research indicates that both emotional reactions are reported at higher levels by women, but the extent to which breakup distress and sexual regret differ by relationship type remains unclear. The current study examined differences in breakup distress and sexual regret as a function of sex and type of sexual relationship (committed vs casual) among a sample of 230 undergraduate college students. As expected, women reported more breakup distress and sexual regret as compared to men, and men and women in committed relationships reported more breakup distress than those in casual relationships. Contrary to previous findings, there was no significant difference in sexual regret between committed and casual relationships, and this was consistent for both men and women. In addition, participants reported relatively low levels of both breakup distress and sexual regret overall. The results suggest that, in general, breakups may not pose a severe emotional threat to young adults, who seem to be confident in their sexual decision making regardless of relationship type.

Citation

Wilder, S., Scott, C.L. and Chavarin, M.A. (2023), "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Investigating Breakup Distress and Sexual Regret in Undergraduates' Casual and Committed Sexual Relationships", Hernández, A.J.C. and Blair, S.L. (Ed.) Conjugal Trajectories: Relationship Beginnings, Change, and Dissolutions (Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, Vol. 22), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 25-40. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1530-353520230000022002