title: Young women's alcohol expectancies for sexual risk-taking mediate the link between sexual enhancement motives and condomless sex when drinking.
abstract: Alcohol use is prevalent among young women. Alcohol expectancies for sexual risk-taking and sexual enhancement motives have been associated with decreased condom use. This study investigated whether alcohol expectancies for sexual risk-taking mediated the association between sexual enhancement motives and condom use. Young women (N = 287, M age = 20.1) completed a survey assessing alcohol expectancies for sexual risk-taking, sexual enhancement motives, and characteristics of their most recent sexual encounter involving alcohol. Most participants (66.9 %) reported unprotected sex during their last sexual encounter involving alcohol. Higher sexual enhancement motives (OR = 1.35, p = .019) and alcohol expectancies for sexual risk-taking (OR = 1.89, p < .001) were associated with increased likelihood of condomless sex. Alcohol expectancies for sexual risk-taking mediated the association between sexual enhancement motives and condomless vaginal sex. Within the context of sexual encounters involving alcohol, expectancies that drinking may result in sexual risk-taking may account for why sexual enhancement motives relate to decreased condom use.
authors.affiliation: Addiction Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, 3131 Harvey Avenue, Suite 104, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. jennifer.brown2@uc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Amelia E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Talley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Littlefield
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Gause
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012747:Sexual Partners; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol expectancies; Condom use; Expectancy motive theory; Sex motives; Young women