Sexual pleasure among young adults (ages 18-26) is linked to healthy psychological and social development, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study (funded by the National Institute of Mental Health) is the first to use a representative population sample of heterosexuals (3,237 participants) to find a relationship between key developmental assets — specifically empathy, self-esteem and autonomy — and sexual pleasure.
The findings are published in the June 2011 issue of The Journal of Adolescent Health.