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Intoxicated Sexual Risk Taking: An Expectancy or Cognitive Impairment Explanation?
Kim Fromme, Elizabeth J. D'Amico, Elizabeth C. Katz
Objective: Two experimental studies tested expectancy and impairment explanations for the association between alcohol consumption and unsafe sexual behaviors. Method: Young adults, who were administered alcohol (blood alcohol concentration mean = .08 mg%), placebo or water, rated the likelihood that potential consequences would result from risky sexual practices (Study 1, N = 161) and listed potential consequences that could result from having sex without a condom (Study 2, N = 135). Results: Intoxicated participants reported lower perceptions of risk (mean [±SD] = 4.5 ± 2.1) than those who received placebo (mean = 5.8 ± 1.3) or water (mean = 5.5 ± 1.7). Intoxicated participants also listed fewer negative consequences (mean = 1.3 ± 1.2) than those who received placebo (mean = 1.5 ± 1.2) or water (mean = 2.1 ± 1.5). In addition, participants who expected alcohol to disinhibit their sexual behavior reported stronger postdrinking perceptions of benefit (mean = 2.6 ± 1.8) and indicated that they were more likely to engage in risky sexual practices (mean = 2.4 ± 1.7) than those who did not expect sexual disinhibition (mean = 2.0 ± 1.7, benefit; mean = 1.8 ± 1.1, involvement). Conclusions: Results support the hypotheses that (1) alcohol-related impairment reduces the drinker's perception of personal risk, and (2) positive outcome expectancies motivate drinkers to engage in risky sexual practices. (J. Stud. Alcohol 60: 54-63, 1999)
