Couples in no-strings-attached relationships may add one more benefit to the mix: they are more likely to use condoms.
Harvard University researchers in the US selected from a sample of 376 people, mostly in their mid-20s, who were currently involved in either a traditional romantic relationship or a friends-with-benefits situation. All subjects responded to questions online about their relationships.
The sample size was predominantly female (74 percent), Caucasian (70 percent), and heterosexual (80 percent). Members of both groups reported that they had known their sexual partner for an average of about four years.
Turns out that the friends-with-benefits group relied on condoms more than the traditional group -- but there is a caveat. According to LiveScience, the casual sex group was less likely to be monogamous (36 percent compared to 93 percent), were more likely to have multiple partners, and did not always use condoms. Also, they reported less sexual satisfaction than the traditional relationship group.
The study appeared in the November 26 issue of the Journal of Sex Research. - AFP RELAX NEWS