Sexual Risk Behaviors in College Women: Perceived Norms, Attitudes, and Sexual Motives

Sexual Risk Behaviors in College Women: Perceived Norms, Attitudes, and Sexual Motives

Author: Kelly Rudolph

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13:

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One important developmental task of young adulthood is the formation of romantic partnerships and initiation of sexual relationships. Unfortunately, in navigating these key developmental tasks, college students may engage in sexual risk behaviors which could lead to negative physical, psychological, and social consequences. Prior research has shown that a substantial number of college women are participating in sexual risk behaviors, such as having one time sexual encounters, inconsistently using condoms, having multiple sequential and simultaneous sexual partners, and drinking heavily before sex. Despite this, only limited research has examined factors that predict and contribute to these sexual risk behaviors. Such work is necessary to develop programs to promote healthy sexual development and expression among college women. Prior research has supported the utility of the contingent consistency peer influence model (CCPIM) in predicting risky drinking among college women. This model posits that that perceived peer norms, actual peer norms, and personal attitudes are independent and key influences on adolescents and young adults' risky behavior. Additionally, prior work has supported the role of certain drinking motives in promoting risky drinking among college students. Similarly, a link between some sexual motives and sexual risk behavior has been established as well. Prior research has supported that certain sexual motives, such as coping and affirmation, predict engagement in sexual risk behaviors. The applicability of the CCPIM with the addition of sexual motives in predicting sexual risk behaviors has not previously been studied together, however. This thesis sought to evaluate the utility of the CCPIM in predicting sexual risk behaviors among college women. Further, the influence of two sexual motives: coping and affirmation, on risky sexual behavior were also examined. To accomplish these aims, 400 sexually active undergraduate women (mean age 18.5 years), were recruited through the ECU Psychology department participant management system to complete an online survey that assessed sexual risk behaviors, drinking behaviors, sexual attitudes, sexual motives, and perceived peer norms for sexual behaviors. Results supported that college women's perceived peer norms as well as coping and affirmation sexual motives significantly predicted sexual risk behaviors, while positive personal attitudes toward sex predicted less engagement in these behaviors. Implications of the findings include the importance both of college women's perception of peer norms for sexual risk behavior and their personal sexual motives as well as the potential protective role of holding positive attitudes toward sex. This highlights that for college women, the strongest component of the CCPIM is perception of peer norms, regardless of actual peer norms, and also highlights the role of sexual motives in sexual risk behaviors. This research suggests that norm corrective interventions could possibly be part of an effective intervention program to reduce college women's engagement in sexual risk behaviors. Further, for some women, sexual risk behaviors may be a result of maladaptive coping strategies and/or used as a means to boost self-esteem or desirability, supporting the potential importance of interventions addressing psychological distress and low self-esteem in also potentially addressing sexual risk. Additionally, future research should focus on expanding these findings to more diverse populations as well as the likely bidirectional relationships between perceived peer norms and risk behavior over time.


Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict College Students' Communication of Affirmative Sexual Consent

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict College Students' Communication of Affirmative Sexual Consent

Author: Lori A. Bednarchik

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13:

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Sexual violence is a problem on college campuses across the United States. In the past few years, federal and state legislation has been drafted in order to address campus sexual violence. A main feature of this legislation addresses an important communicative construct related to students' sexual behavior: sexual consent. Colleges and universities are adopting an affirmative-standard of consent, which emphasizes that consent for sexual activity be communicated verbally or via unambiguous actions, mutual, voluntary, enthusiastic, and ongoing throughout the sexual encounter. Literature has explored how college students communicate and interpret sexual consent, but antecedents to sexual consent behaviors, particularly affirmative consent, are largely unknown. The current investigation seeks to longitudinally explore the antecedents to college students' affirmative sexual consent behaviors (i.e., nonverbal, initiating, verbal). Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework, hypotheses predicted that at Time 1 (T1) attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control would positively and significantly predict students' (T1) intentions to communicate affirmative consent to their partner. Then, it was predicted that at Time 2 (T2), thirty days later, intentions to communicate consent from T1 would positively and significantly predict college students' communication of affirmative consent to their partner during their most recent sexual encounter. The final matched (i.e., completed T1 and T2 surveys) sample included two hundred twenty-five (N = 225) college students who had engaged in sexual activity during the 30 days between survey distributions. Results from the path analyses support the theoretically driven hypotheses for all three affirmative consent behaviors, and demonstrate that subjective norms and perceived control are important and strong determinants of students' communication of affirmative sexual consent. Furthermore, multi-group invariance tested the potential moderating effects of three individual, two dyadic, and two environmental/contextual variables on the strength of path coefficients between TPB constructs for all three sexual consent behaviors. Only individual and environmental/contextual variables significantly moderated relationships within the TPB for the three models. Results are discussed with regard to theoretical implications as well as practical implications for university health educators and other health professionals. Additionally, limitations and future directions are noted.


Views of the Female Role, Mothers' Expression of Sexual Affection and Female College Students' Attitudes Toward Sexual Behavior

Views of the Female Role, Mothers' Expression of Sexual Affection and Female College Students' Attitudes Toward Sexual Behavior

Author: Jill Susan Ginsburg Palmeter

Publisher:

Published: 1979

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13:

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The present study examined the relationship between views of the female role, mothers' expression of sexual affection, and women's attitudes toward sexual behaviors. Subjects were 122 single middle-class college women from intact families who had some prior experience in heterosexual relationships. Women's scores on the Mother's Expression of Sexual Affection Scale (MESAS) and the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS) were used to assign subjects to one of four groups: traditional women whose mothers frequently displayed sexual affection toward their spouses; nontraditional women whose mothers frequently displayed sexual affection toward their spouses; traditional women whose mothers infrequently displayed sexual affection toward their spouses; and nontraditional women whose mothers infrequently displayed sexual affection toward their spouses. A comparison was then made of the four groups' attitudes toward 20 sexual behaviors on the Sexual Attitudes Scale (SAS). A 2 (Woman's role attitude: traditional/nontraditional) x 2 (Mother's expression of sexual affection: frequent/infrequent) analysis of variance was performed on scores for each item. Results revealed that women with more nontraditional attitudes toward the female role held significantly more positive attitudes toward 15 of the 20 sexual behaviors than women with more traditional views. Moreover, it was found that women with more affectionate mothers had significantly more positive attitudes toward four SAS behaviors. These findings demonstrate a clear relationship between female role orientation and sexual attitudes, and suggest that mothers may be sexual role models for a class of less intimate sexual behaviors. Implications of the research for counseling couples with sexual problems were discussed.


The Sex Lives of College Students

The Sex Lives of College Students

Author: Sandra L Caron

Publisher:

Published: 2021-06-15

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9780991260171

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In this third edition of The Sex Lives of College Students results are presented of more than a 100-question human sexuality survey administered over the past three decades (from 1990 to 2020) to thousands of college students ages 18-22. The goal is to better understand their sexual attitudes and behaviors, as well as trends. The findings raise awareness and provide perspective about students' understanding of sex matters and related difficult issues, and tell us we still have a long way to go before people own their sexuality. The survey reinforces the fact that young adults are generally comfortable pursuing sexual relationships, but often fail to openly discuss sexual issues. Some of the results suggest that the double standard is alive and well, as when more college women than men say that love is important in sex. The Sex Lives of College Students provides a springboard for honest dialogue about the role of sexuality in people's lives and a forum for more public discussion of private parts.


The Sex Lives of College Students

The Sex Lives of College Students

Author: Sandra L. Caron

Publisher:

Published: 2013-10-25

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9780983795889

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The Sex Lives of College Students presents the results of more than a 100-question human sexuality survey administered over the past two decades to thousands of college students ages 18-22. The goal is to better understand their sexual attitudes and behaviors, as well as trends. The findings raise awareness and provide perspective about students' understanding of sex matters and related difficult issues, and tell us we still have a long way to go before people own their sexuality. The survey reinforces the fact that young adults are generally comfortable pursuing sexual relationships, but often fail to openly discuss sexual issues. Some of the results suggest that the double standard is alive and well, as when more college women than men say that love is important in sex. The Sex Lives of College Students provides a springboard for honest dialogue about the role of sexuality in people's lives and a forum for more public discussion of private parts.


An Examination of the Effects of the Sexual Double Standard on College Students' Condom Use

An Examination of the Effects of the Sexual Double Standard on College Students' Condom Use

Author: Cahryn Anderson

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 14

ISBN-13:

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Men and women have historically been held to different standards regarding sexual behavior, known as the sexual double standard. Women have typically been judged more harshly than men for engaging in similar sexual behavior. Both genders report higher levels of sexual activity and more liberal attitudes since the 1940s. Males historically report engaging in more sexual activity than females. However, current studies indicate both genders are engaging in similar levels of sexual activity, although men continue to report slightly higher levels. It is unclear whether attitudes and judgments related to gender and sexuality have kept pace with reported behavior changes. The documented increase in sexual activity for men and women has coincided with a dramatic increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Consistent condom use during all forms of sexual activity has been recommended as the most reliable method of pregnancy and STD prevention. However, many individuals report inconsistent condom use. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the potential role the sexual double standard may play in the inconsistent use of condoms in college women. Undergraduate students were asked to read one of three vignettes (male provides condom, female provides condom, no condom was used) in which a casual sexual encounter was described. After reading the vignette, participants completed adjective ratings of the vignette actors, as well as measures of attitudes toward gender and sexuality, sexual history, and demographics. Contrary to expectations, results indicated that females were judged to be more likeable when she provided the condom compared to when no condom was used and more diplomatic when she provided the condom when compared to when no condom was used or when the male provided the condom. Males were equally liked across all condom conditions, and were rated as more diplomatic when providing the condom versus when no condom was used. Unexpectedly, neither judgments of the vignette actors nor attitudes toward gender and sexuality were predictive of personal sexual history. These findings suggest that gender differences in sexual behavior may be quite small, and that standards for sexual behavior are more equal than has been previously documented.