First-year college students’ alcohol and hookup behaviours: sexual scripting and implications for sexual health promotion

Abstract

This study used a sexual scripting framework to analyse data from the Online College Social Life Survey to examine the role of individual, (e.g. gender, race and alcohol use), relational (partner type, condom use behaviours), and contextual factors (sex ratios and fraternity/sorority affiliation) influencing 4,292 first-year college students' hookup experiences. Results suggest that hookups are relatively "safe", with the majority involving non-penetrative sexual behaviour, condom use, and familiar partners. However, alcohol use affected hookup behaviours and lower levels of condom use were associated with heavy alcohol use, even with less well known partners. Findings point to the importance of interventions that reinforce first-year students' positive behaviours and present them with protective behavioural strategies to use in the context of alcohol, and with repeat or well-known partners to reduce risk and have enjoyable, consensual sexual experiences.

Condom use across casual and committed relationships: The role of relationship characteristics

“…Although overall oral and vaginal sex are the most common practices, vaginal sex was more frequent in the context of committed relationships, while oral sex was most frequently reported in the different casual relationships. Recent studies on hookups have also found that non-coital sexual behaviors are the most frequent in these relationships [ 69 , 70 ], while vaginal sex is a more representative behavior in “friends with benefits” [ 71 , 72 ] than in situations with someone known for less than 24 hours [ 73 ]. This may reveal oral practices as mainly focused on obtaining pleasure and as a means of sexual exploration, while vaginal sex is attached to higher levels of intimacy and commitment in relationships, sometimes also associated with romantic views of these relationships [ 74 , 75 ].…”

What Are College Students Talking About When They Say They’re “Just Talking?”

“…For several decades, researchers have characterized sexual behavior on college campuses as a manifestation of hookup culture, wherein students say that they prefer casual, non-committed sexual relationships to exclusive and emotionally-intimate romantic partnerships (Garcia et al, 2012; Hollis et al, 2022; Paul et al, 2000). Studies consistently show that most college students engage in casual sexual encounters with and without penetration during their college careers with repeat partners, acquaintances, and unknown individuals (Blayney et al, 2018; Hollis et al, 2022; Thorpe et al, 2021). Taken together, quantitative measurements of student sexual behavior and qualitative assessments of their perspectives on sex and romance suggest that many college students prioritize casual sexual interactions over committed romantic partnerships (Redmond, 2018).…”

O Uso De Preservativo Em Universitários(as) Brasileiros(As)

“…Ao ingressar na universidade novas experiências podem proporcionar um ambiente de risco ao estudante, refletindo em consumo abusivo de álcool, drogas e não utilização de preservativos (Antoniassi;Gaya, 2015;Thorpe et al, 2021;Schumacher et al, 2018). Essa baixa utilização impacta na prevalência de HPV, gravidez e índices de contaminação pelo HIV, sobretudo em homens de 15 a 24 anos (Nigussie;Yosef, 2020;Ayalew, 2022;Brasil, 2021).…”