Bouncing back: new research supports rebound sex
It’s official: the popular belief that people who have been dumped are more likely to have “rebound” sex is true, at least among students.
It’s official: the popular belief that people who have been dumped are more likely to have “rebound” sex is true, at least among students.
Lynne Cooper and Lindsey Barber at the University of Missouri followed the lives of 170 undergraduates who had recently been through a break-up, asking them to keep a diary of their feelings, sexual experiences and motivations over a period of twelve weeks.
They found that within four weeks of the break-up, one third of participants had sex, with 35% claiming it was to get over their previous relationship and 25% claiming it was a form of revenge.
Though there are many common perceptions about rebound sex – with tomorrow, the day after Valentine’s Day, being considered “rebound day” according to Urban Dictionary – there had been scant previous research into this behaviour.
The study also found that people who had been dumped were more likely to have sex than those who initiated the break-up, and more commonly said that they used sex as a coping mechanism. These people also suffered more distress. “People really do use sex as a way to get over or get back at their ex-partner in the aftermath of a breakup,” said Lynne Cooper.
The frequency of rebound sex levelled off over time: five months after the break-up, dumped participants were no more likely to use sex to cope than their former partner; however, those who did have sex as a coping mechanism immediately after the break-up were more likely to have sex with strangers for a longer period.
The study claims that “people are more likely to have sex for a variety of maladaptive reasons in the aftermath of a romantic relationship breakup especially if they were “dumped” or were in a highly committed or long-standing relationship.”
“[This] data provides clear support for common rebound lore, suggesting that people do indeed use sex in the aftermath of a breakup to help them cope with their feelings of distress and to get over or get back at their ex-partners.”
DOI: 10.1007/s10508-013-0200-3