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. 1998 Jan;59(1):71-7.
doi: 10.15288/jsa.1998.59.71.

Sex-related alcohol expectancies as moderators of the relationship between alcohol use and risky sex in adolescents

K H Dermen  1 , M L Cooper, V B Agocha
Affiliations

Sex-related alcohol expectancies as moderators of the relationship between alcohol use and risky sex in adolescents

K H Dermen et al. J Stud Alcohol. 1998 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol is frequently identified as a potential contributor to HIV-related sexual risk taking. Drawing on alcohol expectancy explanations for postdrinking behavior, the present 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.

Method: The combined effects of sex-related alcohol expectancies and alcohol use in sexual situations were investigated using interview data from a representative sample of 907 (476 male) sexually experienced adolescents (13 to 19 years) who had ever consumed alcohol.

Results: Regression analyses on a composite measure of risk taking revealed that for two of three intercourse occasions examined alcohol use was associated with greater risk taking primarily among respondents who expected alcohol to increase risky sexual behavior.

Conclusions: The results lend support to expectancy theories of alcohol's effects on sexual risk taking and raise the possibility that providing overly simplistic warnings that "alcohol leads to risky sex" may paradoxically increase the likelihood that individuals will fail to act prudently when intoxicated. Preventive interventions might beneficially focus on weakening, rather than strengthening, individuals' expectancies with regard to the impact of alcohol on sexual behavior, so that self-protective behavior will be more likely to occur even during intoxication.

PIP: 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.

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