Examining the Effects of Interpersonal Protective Behaviors and Drinking on Unplanned and Unprotected Sex in Underaged College Women

Objective: This study is part of a NIAAA funded program of research exploring the efficacy of interpersonal protective behaviors (IPBs; e.g., vetting carefully one’s potential dating or sexual partners) in decreasing alcohol-related sexual consequences. It extends our previous work by investigating IPBs that may be efficacious in preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs; e.g., HIV). Unplanned and unprotected sex are common consequences of drinking and important risk factors for the transmission of STDs. The current study used a prospective longitudinal design to examine the direct effects of typical weekly drinking and IPBs on unplanned and unprotected sex, as well as the moderator effect of IPBs in the relationship between typical weekly drinking and unplanned and unprotected sex. Method: A random sample of primarily underaged female students from a large northeastern university who self-identified as drinkers (N = 191) completed a baseline survey measuring typical weekly drinking and IPBs and a six-month follow-up assessing unplanned and unprotected sex. Moderated regression was used to examine the main effects of drinking and IPBs on unplanned and unprotected sex, as well as interaction effects. Results: Preliminary analyses suggested that typical weekly drinking predicted unplanned and unprotected sex; however, the effect of drinking was diminished when IPBs were added to the model. A main effect of IPBs was significantly negatively related to unplanned sex after accounting for drinking (p < .05). Two moderator effects emerged: (1) talking to people who know one’s potential dating or sex partner to find out what he/she is like significantly reduced the effect of drinking on unplanned sex (p < .05), and (2) trying not to be alone with a potential dating or sex partner significantly reduced drinking’s effect on unprotected sex (p < .05). Discussion: The current study identified IPBs that may decrease the occurrence of unplanned and unprotected sex in underaged female drinkers. Encouraging underaged women to adopt these behaviors and use them with high fidelity may be useful strategies in prevention efforts designed to reduce the spread of STDs. Future directions for research and intervention are discussed.