A Motivational Perspective on Alcohol Use and Sexual Behavior Among College Students
Open Access
- Author:
- Patrick, Megan Elizabeth
- Graduate Program:
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- April 24, 2008
- Committee Members:
- Jennifer Lianne Maggs, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
J Douglas Coatsworth, Committee Member
Edward A Smith, Committee Member
D Wayne Osgood, Committee Member - Keywords:
- alcohol use
sexual behavior
college students
expectancies
motivations - Abstract:
- College students engage in both alcohol use and sexual behaviors that have important developmental and health implications. Based on the theory of reasoned action, links between motivations for and engagement in drinking and sexual behaviors were examined in three studies. First, a multi-dimensional measure addressing distinct motivations for and against sex was developed. Three sub-scales were designed to measure motivations against sexual behavior: Values, Health, and Not Ready. This scale was used in conjunction with a set of sub-scales (Intimacy, Enhancement, and Coping) assessing motivations for sexual behavior by Cooper, Shapiro, and Powers (1998). The resulting six subscales were shown to be reliable, valid, and configurally invariant across gender and European and Asian American ethnicity (N = 1653; 41.6% male, M = 17.99 years, SD = 0.38) using confirmatory factor analysis. Second, in an independent sample, latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of motivations for alcohol use and profiles of motivations for sexual behavior (N = 227, 51.1% male, M = 18.85 years, SD = 0.38). Four profiles of alcohol use motivations were identified: Anti Drinking, Average Drinking, Pro Drinking, and Pro Drinking for Sex. Three profiles of motivations for sex were identified: Anti Sex, Pro Sex, and Pro Sex for Coping. Third, a within-person approach was used to model the event-level links between drinking and sex over 14 days (N = 218 people, 51.4% male). Multi-level models were used to model up to 14 days of data for each person (2879 days). After controlling for average alcohol use, the number of drinks consumed on a given day was associated with greater likelihood of having oral sex, a greater number of sexual behaviors, and more short-term positive consequences of sex on that day. A Drinking × Alcohol-Sex Expectancies interaction indicated that individuals with more positive expectancies were most likely to have sex after drinking. These results highlight the importance of motivations and expectancies for understanding alcohol use and sexual behavior. Implications for prevention include the importance of assessing cross-behavior motivations and expectancies and the potential to simultaneously address alcohol and sexual behaviors to promote college student health.