Modern Psychological Studies

Volume 3 Number 1 Article 6

1995

Attachment and first sexual experience

Chrystal Goings-Vogelsang Southeast Missouri State University

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Recommended Citation Goings-Vogelsang, Chrystal (1995) "Attachment and first sexual experience," Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 3 : No. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol3/iss1/6

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Attachment and First Sexual "affectional bond," Ainsworth goes on to describe affectional bonds as "relatively Experience long-enduring ties in which the partner is Chrystal Goings-Vogelsang important as a unique individual and is interchangeable with none other" Southeast Missouri State University (Ainsworth, 1989). Both attachments and affectional bonds are very similar in that Abstract they can be characterized by a person as pleasurable, when the person is with This investigation examined the another, and distressful, when the person relationship between first sexual is apart from the other. There is one experience and attachment tendencies. distinct difference: in affectional bonds, Subjects' first sexual experiences were becoming close with another person examined as a function of Bartholomew's results in security and comfort, while in four attachment categories: secure, an attachment bond, achieving closeness fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing can result in different attachment styles (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). It was (Ainsworth). hypothesized that if a person's first sexual Four attachment style measures experience was negative, then he or she developed by Bartholomew (1991) were would score significantly lower on the used as a basis in this study: "secure" is secure attachment subscale. Results characterized by being comfortable with indicated (a) that college females who intimacy, "preoccupied" is characterized had a fearful attachment style were more by being preoccupied with the attachment likely to report that their first sexual pattern due to a need to be accepted, partner pressured them into sex, b) that "fearful" is characterized by avoidance of college females who were more close involvement with others for fear of dismissing in their attachment style were rejection, and "dismissing" is less likely to have pressured their first characterized by a dismissing attitude for sexual partner into sex, and c) that fear of disappointment and needing a college students who were more fearful in sense of independence. Though their attachment style were more likely to relatively stable, attachment bonds consist report having been manipulated into sex of small portions of a larger schema that by their first sexual partners. The are continually adjusting according to a discussion focuses on discrepancies person's perceptions of the people they within the study and suggests considera- meet and the life experiences (including tions for future studies. their first sexual experience) they undergo (Bartholomew & Scharfe, in press). All humans are born with the A major life experience that ability to form social attachments with occurs at some point in the life span is a another person. Most infants form at- person's first sexual experience. Previous tachments with their primary caretakers. As they grow and mature, children begin views of the self (self-esteem, etc.) strongly tend to determine the outcome of to form models drawn from these early a person's first sexual experience. For attachments upon which they later base instance, if a person has a strong, positive relationships outside the immediate feeling about him or herself, then he/she family. It has been shown that if a child's will tend to choose an appropriate time first attachment with the primary -and partner for the sexual experience to caregiver is negative, then later negative occur--making it pleasant. However, if attachment styles will develop; whereas, if the attachment is positive, later positive the person has low self-esteem, he or she attachment styles will result (Ainsworth, may not have the tools to appropriately 1989.) choose such circumstances--leaving negative feelings. Building upon Bowlby's (1982) definition of attachment as a form of Though a person's ability to make appropriate choices for a first sexual

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experience determines the degree 20.4% were 28 or older. The academic of satisfaction in the experience, some levels of the students were 40.7% people have had the choice taken away freshmen, 37.0% sophomores, 9.3% (e.g., incest, rape). This lack of choice juniors, and 13.0% seniors. Percentages often leaves a drastic change in many for marital status were 72.2% never mar- aspects of a person's life, including a ried, 14.8% currently in first marriage, person's attachment style. There is a 9.3% divorced, and 3.7% remarried. growing body of literature examining the Subjects reported that 79.6% had no relationship between negative first sexual children, 3.7% had one child, 14.8% had experience and later characteristics of a two to three children, and 1.9% had four person's life. Specifically, studies show to five children. The ethnic heritage that negative first sexual experiences, characteristics of the participants were such as rape or incest, lead to later sexual 5.6% African-American, 92.6% dysfunctions and relationship problems Caucasian-American, and 1.9% other. (Fromuth, 1986; Gold, 1986; Meiselman, The subjects volunteered to participate in 1980; Silbert & Pines, 1983). this study by choosing from a variety of The purpose of this investigation research projects, as required to earn was to examine the relationship between credit counting toward their final course attachment tendencies and first sexual grade. experiences. Bettor (1989) has observed that because previous studies on first Measures sexual experience have yielded inconsis- Relationship Scales tent results on some variables, further Questionnaire. The four attachment research needs to be conducted. In her subscales were measured by study, she lists some of those variables Bartholomew's Relationship Scales (such as scarce data on males) and Questionnaire (Bartholomew & Horowitz, conflicting findings as to whether or not 1991). The self-report survey consisted of their early sexual experiences have any 31 items which were answered on a 3- effect on later attachment styles. point Liken scale of A = "Not at all like Bartholomew's four attachment me," B = "Somewhat like me," and C = ratings (i.e., secure, fearful, preoccupied, "Very much like me." The mean and dismissing) were used to analyze the reliability scores for Bartholomew's subjects' attachment tendencies and then questionnaire were, for females, .53 were compared to reports of the first (range = .45 to .58) and for males, .49 sexual experience. (range = .39 to .58) (Bartholomew & It was hypothesized that if Sharfe, in press). subjects' first sexual experience was per- First Sexual Experience. Several ceived as negative, then they would report ad hoc items were constructed to measure higher ratings in fearfulness, pre- aspect's of subjects' first sexual experi- occupation, and dismissfulness. ence. The items constructed assessed such variables as the age of first sexual Method experience, who it was with (e.g., a family member, neighbor), and whether it was Subjects considered to be abuse. Six individual The subjects in the present items were specifically written to measure research were drawn from several lower abusive, first sexual experience: (1) did division psychology classes at a small your first sexual partner pressure you into Midwestern university. The sample con- having sexual intercourse; (2) did your sisted of 54 subjects (26 males, 28 first sexual partner manipulate you into females) who were assessed during the having sexual intercourse; (3) did you spring of 1994. Approximately 11.1% first sexual partner force you into having were of the age 16-18, 50.0% were 19-21, sexual intercourse; (4) did you pressure 11.1% were 22-24, 7.4% were 25-27, and your first sexual partner into having

MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES 39 Chrystal Goings-Vogelsang

sexual intercourse; (5) did you manipulate p < .05. your first sexual partner into having sexual intercourse; (6) did you force your first sexual partner into having sexual Table 1 intercourse. Subjects responded to those six statements by indicating yes (scored as Correlations between the Attachment Tendencies 1) or no (scored as 0), thus higher scores and First Sexual Experiences corresponded to greater abuse during ini- Fee AesaMere Teeleeers tial sexual experiences. Amami Ear teem Pmeampeei Female Dramas Procedure Ap Gem dm Mir 00 S2 03 renew -31 06 A7 Upon arrival, subjects were asked Bea AS rem ema ewer peers yea? to sit with a row of seats between them, Wren .11 13 33. -06 heads .12 Al 10. 04 not to talk during the study, and to read Are .11 .12 314 .05 Fue sea prom eramptkaa prat and sign an informed consent sheet. They Wes -01 .17 /4 .00 herbs 30 Is .2. • I 5 were guaranteed complete anonymity and Sok .13 11 334 .00 Rea ow pom, Lae peat were assured that their responses would -.24 -33 -31 remake .14 -.16 OS .07 Dee .11 -03 -.19 be kept in complete confidence. All yea peers Am elm prowl Wks -.12 .12 -07 subjects who entered the study agreed to Reek. .16 -01 -37 ANA ..17 .110 01 -.11 participate. Each subject then received a yet —00 Ike ea pre& Wet 437 -12 -30 00 questionnaire booklet containing the Perim -.14 .10 07 . 1146 -.13 . 10 various measures, presented in the same Yea lion Am ens weed Maim order as described above. remele Following completion of the Sok measures, the subjects received a written debriefing form that explained the Note. See text for a description of the instruments. purpose of the study. The completion of ".--" indicates that the correlation could not be the questionnaire booklet required computed because of zero variability on the sexual approximately 40-45 minutes. Groups of experience item. lip < .01; by < .01; cp < .005; up to ten subjects were tested during each dp < .001. session. There was a total of five sessions, two for females and three for males. Discussion Results The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between at- The correlations between the tachment and first sexual experience. It attachment styles and first sexual ex- was hypothesized that if a person's first perience variables are presented in Table sexual experience was perceived as 1. This table indicates that among negative, then that individual would be females a significant positive relationship characterized by a less secure attachment between the fearful attachment style and tendency due to the reactions of guilt and first sexual partner pressuring sex, r = loss of self-esteem. Similarly, it was .48, p < .05; males, r = .35, p < .05; anticipated that such individuals would both, r = .39, p < .05. Among the report greater fearfulness, preoccupation, combined group of males and females, and dismissfulness. there was a significant positive The results did not support the relationship between fearful attachment hypothesis that there would be an associa- style and first sexual partner manipulating tion between a negative first sexual the subject for sex, r = .25, p < .05. experience and low ratings in security. Among females, there was a negative However, as predicted, an association was correlation between a dismissing found between fearful attachment and a attachment style and having pressured negative first sexual experience. one's first sexual partner into sex, r = -.40,

40 MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES ATTACHMENT

Although no significant findings emerged of what a negative and positive sexual ex- for the preoccupied attachment style, for perience is, had not been defined, only the dismissing attachment style, a strong assumed; when in reality, different people correlation was found among the females. can view the same kind of experience as This finding indicated that the greater positive or negative. dismissing attachment style a female had, the less likely she was to have pressured References her first sexual partner into sex. Individuals whose first sexual Ainsworth, M. D. (1989). Attachments experience involved being pressured or beyond infancy. American manipulated into sex expressed an Psychologist, 44, 709-716. attachment style of fearfulness. This Bartholomew, K., & Horowitz, L. (1991). finding is similar to previous studies' Attachment styles among young discovery that a negative first sexual adults: A test of a four-category experience is correlated with negative model. Journal of Personality and consequences (Gold, 1986). Also, Social Psychology, 61, 226-244. females who were more dismissing in Bartholomew, K., & Scharfe, E. (in their attachment style were found to be press). Reliability and stability of less likely to have pressured their first adult attachment patterns. sexual partner into sex. This finding Personal Relationships. coincides with the idea that in a fearful Bettor, L. (1989). Relationships between state of being a person afraid of sex would first sexual experience and later be dismissing of it (Bettor, 1989). love and sex attitudes. The current findings do have some Unpublished Manuscript. implications for clinicians. Analyzing the Bowiby, J. (1982). Attachment and Loss: attachment style of clients and then Vol. 1, Attachment (2nd ed.). New determining possible determinants of that York: Basic Books (original attachment style could help to find roots work published 1969). of various relationship and sexual Fromuth, M. E. (1986). The relationship problems. Of course, because first sex is of childhood sexual abuse with not the only major life event, other events later psychological and sexual must be analyzed also--such as death of adjustment in a sample of college loved ones and socio-economic factors. women. Child Abuse and Neglect, Several limitations of the current 10, 5-15. research need to be mentioned. This Gold, E. R. (1986). Long-term effects of study only measured current attachment sexual victimization in childhood: styles; the attachment styles before the An attributional approach. first sexual experience must be deter- Journal of Consulting and Clinical mined in order to assess any change in Psychology, 54, 471-475. attachment style that there may have been. Meiselman, K. C. (1980). Personality Also, first sexual intercourse was the only characteristics of incest history variable directly asked about in the psychotherapy patients: A current research study; otherwise, the research note. Archives of Sexual term "sexual experience" was used. Past Behavior, 9, 195-197. studies have also examined, but not Silbert, M., & Pines, A. (1983). Early clearly defined, exactly what is being sexual exploitation as an influence meant by the concept of "first sexual in prostitution. Social Work, 285- experience" and "sexual relations." In this 289. study, the possibility that some individuals may tend to predispose Author Notes themselves to bad relationship experiences due to other factors than the Portions of these data were presented perception of first sexual intercourse was at the 2nd annual meeting of the Southeast not assessed. Likewise, the determination Missouri State University Student

MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES 41 chrystal Goings-Vogelsang

at the 2nd annual meeting of the Southeast Missouri State University Student Research Conference, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, February, 1994. Gratitude is extended to Dr. William E. Snell, Jr. and Dr. Martha S. Zlokovich for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Address all correspondence to Chrystal Goings-Vogelsang, c/o Dr. Martha Mokovich, Department of Psychology, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701, U.S.A.

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