The goal of the proposed research is to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases by delineating the mechanisms through which alcohol affects risk reduction behavioral skills. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases remain high. Survey research suggests that young women are not skilled at behaviors that reduce this risk, and alcohol consumption may further impair these behavioral skills. Although previous studies have contributed valuable information about alcohol's relationship to unsafe sex, there is a paucity of experimental research involving actual behavioral responses during social interactions. The proposed study utilizes experimental methods in order to investigate alcohol's effects on women's behavioral skills at negotiating safe sex during a face-to-face role-play with an opposite-sex actor. The theoretical underpinnings of the proposed research are the Cognitive Mediation Model of Sexual Decision Making (Norris, Masters, &Zawacki, 2004), Alcohol Myopia Theory (Taylor &Leonard, 1983), and Alcohol Expectancy Theory (MacAndrew &Edgerton, 1969). The proposed study is a laboratory experiment using a 3 (Alcohol condition of participant: No Alcohol, Placebo, Alcohol - .08 BAC) X 2 (Relationship Context: New, Established) design. Alcohol consumption and characteristics of the role-play contexts are manipulated in the proposed laboratory experiment. Manipulated characteristics of the role-play reflect aspects of sexual decision-making that may create response conflict for women. Theories about alcohol's effects on cognition suggest that it is high response conflict situations that are especially vulnerable to alcohol-related risk taking. Each laboratory session will be videotaped and coded in order to assess participants'risk reduction behavior during the role-play. Self-report dependent measures will assess constructs of a recently developed Cognitive Mediation Model so that its utility in explaining alcohol- involved risk taking can be tested. Prior to the laboratory session, participants'alcohol expectancies will be assessed as a potential moderator of alcohol's effects on participants'negotiation behavior and cognitive model variables. The study paradigm was designed to simulate real situations in which safer-sex negotiations commonly occur. The results can be used to develop prevention programs that reduce women's risk taking when drinking. These results will be most informative for programs aimed at the reduction of risk for sexually transmitted diseases.
PROJECT NARRATIVE: Sexually transmitted diseases pose an increasingly serious health threat to women, and alcohol consumption may increase women's risky decision-making and behavior with regard to these risks. The proposed project will examine this major public health concern by studying the influence of alcohol on risk reduction skills.
