Alcohol use, sexual activity, and perceived risk in high school athletes and non-athletes.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined one's sense of personal invincibility as a contributing factor to high school athletes' more frequent behavioral risks compared to those of non-athletes. Perceived risk was assessed as a mediator of sports participation and alcohol use, and sports participation and sexual activity among high school athletes.


METHODS
Prior to leaving home, college-bound high school graduates (n = 2,247) completed web-based surveys assessing alcohol use, sexual activity, sports participation, and perceived risk. The mediational models were analyzed using generalized linear modeling and the procedures of Baron and Kenny (1986).


RESULTS
Relative to non-athletes, athletes reported greater alcohol use, more sexual partners, and lower perceived risk. Perceived risk mediated the association between sports participation and alcohol use for both young men and women. Perceived risk also mediated the association between sports participation and number of sexual partners for women and partially mediated this association for men. Perceived risk partially mediated the association between sports participation and episodes of unsafe sexual activity in both men and women.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest a potential cognitive mechanism which may account for differences in alcohol use and sexual activity between athletes and non-athletes during late adolescence.
Wetherill
Reagan R
RR
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Fromme
Kim
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010465:Perception; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
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