Through accumulated studies, data are now available on normative sexual behavior across the life cycle. Such data should assist in psychiatric diagnosis and in the development of treatment goals that rely on assumptions regarding normative behavior. A large proportion of young heterosexual...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Results: Most American males have intercourse by 16-17 years of age, and females do so by 17-18 years of age. The majority of young adults aged 18-24 have multiple, serial sex partners. Among adults 25-59 years old, relative monogamy appears to be the norm: 80% of heterosexually active men and 90% of heterosexually active women in this age group report having had only one sex partner in the preceding year. The average frequency of intercourse among such monogamous individuals is one to three times per week. Approximately 25% of adults have had heterosexual anal intercourse. Up to 20% of adult men report that they have had a homosexual experience; 1%-6% report such an experience during the preceding year.