TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Examination of sex-related distress and self-medication drinking model in U.S. college women
JO  - Journal of sex research
A1  - Bird, Elizabeth R.
A1  - Stappenbeck, Cynthia A.
A1  - Blayney, Jessica
A1  - Kaysen, Debra
A1  - George, William H.
SP  - 1192
EP  - 1200
VL  - 59
IS  - 9
N2  - Adult sexual assault (ASA) in college remains a concern. Consequently, many college-aged women experience negative emotions surrounding sexual activity (sex-related distress). Consistent with self-medication theory, some drink to cope with sex-related distress, which may reduce distress, but lead to greater drinking quantity before sex and negative sexual consequences. How women with ASA histories navigate sexual situations and cope with sex-related distress is under researched. We examined ASA, sex-related distress, and drinking to cope motives to understand correlates of drinking before sex. First and second year college women (n = 300) reported on a recent sexual experience in the past six weeks. In the full sample, ASA severity was associated with a greater likelihood of drinking before sex, while general sex-related distress was associated with a lower likelihood. General sex-related distress was associated with event-specific sex-related distress and sexual consequences. There were no differences in number of pre-sex drinks or subjective intoxication during sexual activity based on ASA. In a subsample of women who drank before sexual activity (n = 179), drinking to cope with sex-related distress motives mediated the association between sex-related distress and sexual consequences. Interventions can draw on these findings to target self-medication drinking in consensual sexual situations.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-4499
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2044444
ID  - ref1
ER  -