Sexual Activity Prior to Coital Initiation: A Comparison Between Males and Females

The sexual activities college students reportedengaging in prior to their first coital experience wereinvestigated. A volunteer sample of 311 students (120male and 191 female) completed a self-report anonymous questionnaire. Both males and femalesreported considerable precoital sexual experience.Although males reported more frequent activity thanfemales on all items of assessment, the difference between groups, with the exception ofmasturbation, was not significant. The majority of bothmales and females reported at least one experience, anda sizable minority reported considerably moreexperience, with cunnilingus and fellatio, risk behaviorsfor the transmission of STDs, prior to their firstcoitus. Attention is drawn to the dearth of informationon sexual activity prior to coital initiation. Given the potential risks of some of theseactivities, recommendations to further explore andaddress the precoital sexual behavior of adolescents aresuggested.