Impulsivity and Sexual Attitudes Among Young Adults: A Correlational Study

Background: In an evolving socio-cultural environment, attitudes toward sexuality are becoming increasingly open, while psychological traits such as impulsivity continue to influence decision-making and behaviour, particularly during young adulthood. Sexual attitudes are shaped not only by changing social norms and cultural influences but also by individual personality characteristics and gender-related factors. Understanding the relationship between impulsivity and sexual attitudes is especially important in the Indian context, where traditional values coexist with growing exposure to modern and liberal perspectives on sexuality. Aim: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between sexual attitudes and impulsivity among young adults and to explore gender differences in these variables. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was employed with 152 college-going young adults aged 18–25 years selected through purposive sampling. Participants completed the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (BSAS) and the Impulsive Behaviour Short Scale–8 (I-8). Data were collected online through Google Forms after obtaining informed consent. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, regression analysis, and independent samples t-tests were conducted using SPSS. Results: The findings revealed moderate levels of impulsivity and sexual attitudes across all dimensions. Impulsivity showed a significant positive relationship with permissiveness (r = .221, p = .006), indicating that higher impulsivity was associated with more permissive sexual attitudes. Regression analysis further demonstrated that impulsivity significantly predicted permissive sexual attitudes, accounting for 4.9% of the variance (R² = .049, p = .006). Significant interrelationships were also observed among the dimensions of sexual attitudes. However, no significant gender differences were found in impulsivity or any dimensions of sexual attitudes (p > .05). Conclusion: The study highlights the important role of impulsivity in shaping permissive sexual attitudes among young adults while emphasizing the multidimensional nature of sexuality. The findings contribute to understanding psychological influences on sexual attitudes and may help inform future research, awareness programs, and mental health interventions promoting healthy and informed decision-making.