College students’ perceptions of positive and negative drinking-related sexual experiences

Abstract

Objective: During young adulthood, drinking and sexual behaviors are both normative and inextricably linked. While this association is well documented, little is known about how students define positive and negative drinking-related sexual experiences. Methods: Thirty-five undergraduates participated in a focus group about sexual experiences in the context of drinking. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify themes in the data. Results: Students’ descriptions of positive drinking-related sexual encounters included having a good time, feeling safe, maintaining control over alcohol, as well as feeling safe in drinking contexts where sexual partners are located. Students’ perceptions of negative experiences included specific consequences such as a damaged reputation, loss of control due to alcohol, and concern of engagement in sex when they or a partner was too intoxicated to consent. Conclusion: Gaining a better understanding of how college students view positive and negative drinking-related sexual experiences could inform interventions aimed at promoting student well-being.

Keywords:

• College students
• qualitative
• sexual behaviors
• alcohol use
• positive experiences

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Lehigh University.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [LN]. The data are not publicly available in order to protect the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health [R34 AA026032]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.