Citation

Dermen KH, Cooper ML, Agocha VB. J. Stud. Alcohol 1998; 59(1): 71-77.

Affiliation

Research Institute on Addictions, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9498318

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that adolescents who drink alcohol on a given occasion will be more likely to engage in sexual risk-taking behavior to the extent that they believe that alcohol disinhibits sexual behavior or promotes sexual risk-taking. The sample consisted of 907 (476 male, 431 female) adolescents, ranging in age from 13 to 19 years, who had had sexual intercourse but had never drunk alcohol. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews lasting about 2 hours and conducted by professionally trained interviewers. Regression analyses on a composite measure of risk-taking showed that for 2 or 3 intercourse occasions, alcohol use was positively associated with greater risk-taking, particularly among respondents who also expected alcohol to increase risky sexual behavior. Results of this study was consistent with the hypothesis that alcohol increases sexual risk-taking in part by activating individually held beliefs about the effects of alcohol. Self-reported expectancies are the likely predictors of intoxicated behaviors. Therefore, an individual who perceives that alcohol increases sexual risk-taking needs stronger skills and motivation for maintaining safer sexual behavior. Preventive interventions should also focus on weakening, rather than strengthening, the expectancies of an individual concerning the impact of alcohol on sexual behavior.

Language: en