College Students' Sexual Motives, Experiences, and Drinking-Related Protective Behavioral Strategies

Alcohol consumption is commonplace among college students and may contribute to a range of negative sex-related outcomes. Thus, determining how college students can engage in safer drinking practices may lead to safer sexual outcomes. Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) when drinking alcohol (e.g., drinking slowly rather than gulping or chugging) can decrease alcohol-related risks, including sexual assault. Therefore, understanding sex-related correlates of PBS may inform college-based efforts to prevent risky drinking and its consequences. We examined how sexual motives, romantic relationship status, sexual behavior, and rape victimization are associated with PBS among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of college students (N = 527; M-age = 20.49; 54% women). Students who were motivated by intimacy or pleasure for sex; students who were motivated against sex due to their health, values, or because they were not ready; and sexually experienced students used some PBS more often than their peers. In contrast, men, students who experienced rape victimization, and students who engaged in more binge drinking in the last year used some PBS less often than their counterparts. Findings have implications for college programming on topics such as alcohol safety and prevention of sexual assault perpetration and victimization.