SUMMARY :
Scientists and clinicians believe that romantic experiences play a central role
in the development of the capacity for intimacy and sexuality in adolescence
and young adult life (Furman & Wehner, 1994; Prager, 1995; Sullivan; 1953;
Thornton, 1990). Unlike any other types of close relationships (parent-child
relationships; mutual friendship), romantic relationships are believed to be
marked by actual or anticipated sexual activity in addition to intimacy, love,
caring and passion (Collins & Sroufé, 1999). While intimacy and sexuality
and/or erotism are believed to be major experiences in adolescent and young
adult romantic relationships, few studies have analyzed them conjointly. The
aim of this quantitative study is to investigate the adolescent perceptions
of their intimacy with a romantic partner at different stages of their sexual
development, that is, the precoital and coital stages. Four hundred and fifty-two
high-school students (243 females, 209 males) in a Montreal suburb participated
in this research. Intimacy was measured by a questionnaire assessing different
dimensions of the adolescent perception of their capacity for intimacy with
a romantic partner at different stages of sexual development. Stage of sexual
development was defined by the parameter "coital status", i.e. whether
the person had or had not engaged in coitus. Comparing the precoital stage and
the coital stage respondents, higher negative intimacy scores were found in
the precoital group, whereas higher sexual and non-sexual intimacy scores were
found in the coital group. The results of this research are discussed in light
of the literature and their clinical and educational implications are outlined.