Subjective evaluations of alcohol-involved sexual experiences over time among heavy-drinking college students: Comparisons across gender

The current study described how positive sexual experiences impact hypothetical subjective evaluations at follow up relative to baseline. Eighty-eight college students who engaged in weekly heavy episodic drinking participated. At baseline, participants reported alcohol use and hypothetical evaluations of alcohol-involved sexual experiences. During a 28-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA), participants completed next morning surveys and reported whether they engaged in a sexual/romantic experience and subjective evaluation of any sexual/romantic experience. At follow-up, participants re-reported all hypothetical evaluations. Associations between baseline and follow-up evaluations for living out a sexual fantasy and having an alcohol-facilitated sexual experience were not moderated by gender or positive sexual experiences. However, associations between baseline and follow-up alcohol-intensified sex were moderated by gender and having a positive sexual experience during the EMA study. Among women who had a positive sexual experience, evaluations of alcoholintensified sex remained stable over time. For men who had a positive sexual experience, evaluations at follow up became less positive relative to their evaluations at baseline. Whereas positive sexual experiences served to confirm positive evaluations over time for women, evaluations decreased for men. Women and men who did not engage in sexual experiences did not need/rely on actual lived experiences in order to maintain their positive evaluations over time. Placing such a high emphasis on alcohol on intensifying sex without actual lived experience of negotiating consent when drinking could place college students at increased risk of sexual perpetration/victimization.

Automated summary

This study examines how positive sexual experiences influence subjective evaluations of alcohol-involved sexual experiences over time. The results show that women who have positive sexual experiences tend to maintain positive evaluations of alcohol-intensified sex, while men's evaluations become less positive over time. This suggests that placing excessive emphasis on alcohol in sexual contexts may increase the risk of sexual perpetration and victimization among college students.