Abstract
Findings regarding the relation between alcohol and intentions to have sex have been mixed, and little research has examined the role of condom availability on intentions to have sex. Sexual and emotional responding may influence subsequent sexual decisions. Thus, a better understanding of sexual and emotional responding combined with situational factors such as condom presence could help explain the discrepancies in findings regarding alcohol's effect on intentions to have sex. The effects of alcohol and condom presence on men's intentions to have sex were examined using an experimental paradigm involving an alcohol administration study and a second-person eroticized scenario. The effects of sexual and emotional responding were also examined in relation to intentions to have sex. It was found that alcohol increased positive mood, which was associated with higher intentions to have sex. In addition, condom presence was directly associated with higher intentions to have sex. More sexual desire was related to increased likelihood of sexual intentions. These findings increase understanding of mechanisms underlying the relation between alcohol and intentions to have sex.
Notes
1Potential participants were excluded if they reported having been (a) told by a professional that they had a problem with alcohol, (b) ever seriously concerned about their own drinking, or (c) treated or advised to seek treatment for drinking. They were also excluded if they had ever experienced any of the following after drinking alcohol: (a) fainting or seizure, (b) highly unusual flushing of the skin, or (c) severe or unusual psychological reaction. Those who reported a positive family history for alcoholism were excluded if combined with another alcohol problem or consumed more than 40 drinks weekly.