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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2022
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Zachary Brewster
Abstract
Healthy communication regarding sexuality has been shown to be important to relationship quality within the context of long-term committed romantic relationships. Additionally, those who have avenues for communication about sexuality elsewhere in life—among friends, family, etc.—have better mental health outcomes more generally; and peers have consistently been among those with whom individuals are most comfortable discussing sexuality. This study assesses reasons individuals experience social barriers to openly discussing personal aspects of sex and sexuality with their close friends. The study uses a survey experiment to test for differences in perceived barriers to participating in a group discussion among friends when the topic relates to sexuality versus a general topic. Barriers to communication are not found to be stronger in sexual discussions, except among those with marginalized identities. Additionally, higher overall barriers to communication are associated with lower self-esteem and higher mental distress. The applied and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Gourlay, Kenneth, "Barriers To Sexual Communication Among Close Friends" (2022). Wayne State University Theses. 871.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses/871