title: Influences of sexual sensation seeking, alcohol consumption, and sexual arousal on women's behavioral intentions related to having unprotected sex.
abstract: This experimental study examined effects of alcohol consumption and sexual sensation seeking on unprotected sex intentions, taking into account sexual arousal, indirectly discouraging sex, and condom insistence. Women (N = 173; mean age = 25.02) were randomly assigned to a control, placebo, low-dose beverage (target blood alcohol level = .04), or high- dose beverage (target blood alcohol level = .08) condition. Participants projected themselves into a hypothetical sexual interaction with a man in which no condom was available. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that both sexual sensation seeking and alcohol dose directly increased sexual arousal early in the interaction, but later sexual arousal indirectly increased unprotected sex intentions by decreasing endorsement of indirect discouragement and, in turn, condom insistence. These findings help to clarify the role of alcohol consumption and sensation seeking in women's sexual decision making and point to the importance of examining it as a multistage process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).
authors.affiliation: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, USA. norris@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stoner
authors.forename: Danielle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hessler
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zawacki
authors.forename: Kelly C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Michele R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Parkhill
authors.forename: Devon A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Abdallah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002755:Choice Behavior; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult