Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

4-21-2023

Abstract

The college experience presents newfound freedom to explore risky behaviors, such as drinking, drug use, or unprotected sexual activity. Previous research reveals that risky sexual behaviors can lead to multiple sex partners, STIs, and unwanted pregnancies. Few studies examine how college students’ sexual experiences relate to their academic performance. This study tested if sexual activity and the number of sexual partners were associated with GPA. 111 first-year students reported whether they had ever had vaginal intercourse and their number of sexual partners in the last six months. Regression models revealed that freshmen who reported ever having sex had a lower GPA compared to students who never had sex. Furthermore, students who had two or more sexual partners in the past six months had a lower GPA than students with zero sexual partners. We discuss these findings in the context of cultural sexual scripts at a predominantly Hispanic university.

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