Research finds some strings attached in casual ‘hook-ups’

    If you watch TV shows, movies, or listen to song lyrics these days, it sure seems like everybody is “hooking up” – young people are engaging in sexual relationships with no strings attached, and nobody gets hurt.

    A review of research literature on the issue of casual sexual relationships in the “Monitor”, published by the American Psychological Association, points to some psychological fall out.

    People engaging in these types of encounters reported feelings of pressure and performance anxiety.

    In a study from 2000, 22 percent of people felt “out of control” when intercourse took place.

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    In another study, 35 percent reported feeling regretful and disappointed after “hooking up”, 27 percent felt good and happy, 11 percent were confused.

    In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s behavioral health reporter Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss this new in-depth research that finds that there may be some strings attached, after all.

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