GUILT ABOUT FIRST INTERCOURSE - AN ANTECEDENT OF SEXUAL DISSATISFACTION AMONG COLLEGE-WOMEN

First sexual intercourse is often viewed as a rite of passage to adult hood. While one's initial coital experience may lead to affirmation of self-identity, it is disappointing for many, resulting in feelings of guilt and shame. If guilt feelings do emerge, the likelihood of futur e sexual dissatisfaction is greatly increased. In particular, women wi th high levels of sexual guilt tend to perceive less sexual arousal, r esulting in less enjoyment from their sexual encounters. The purposes of this investigation were to identify those factors correlated with f eeling guilty about first sexual intercourse and to examine the influe nce of guilt about first intercourse on current sexual satisfaction. A n anonymous questionnaire was administered to never-married college wo men, with the subsample for this investigation consisting of 570 women . Significant variables correlated with guilt at first sexual intercou rse include uncommunicative mother and father figures, overstrict fath er figure, uncomfortableness with sexuality, physiological and psychol ogical sexual dissatisfaction with first intercourse, guilt feelings a bout current intercourse, and psychological sexual dissatisfaction, Th ese findings have substantial implications for sex researchers, sex th erapists, family therapists, and sexuality educators who wish to promo te healthy sexuality, through both attitudes and behavior.