The Influence of Health-Related Behavior Profiles on College Students' Perceptions of COVID-19 Safety Measures.

College students often engage in multiple health-related behaviors simultaneously which can lead to negative outcomes and further risky behaviors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students reported decreased condom use, increased solitary cannabis use, and increased alcohol consumption. This current study aimed to (1) identify profiles of health-related behaviors (i.e., alcohol consumption, cannabis use, and sexual behaviors), and (2) determine if these profiles would differ in engagement and perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 preventative measures. Participants were 273 college students from a large Northeastern U.S. public university who completed surveys about health-related behaviors during the 2021 academic year. We used a latent profile analysis to identify distinct subgroups of college students based on their engagement in health-related behaviors. Based on fit indices a three-profile solution showed the best fit: low (N = 196), moderate (N = 54), and high (N = 23). Two one-way ANOVAs examined whether profile membership predicted engagement and perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 safety measures. Participants in the low health-related behaviors profile engaged in preventative measures more than students in the other two profiles. However, profile membership did not predict perceived effectiveness of preventative behaviors. Taken together, our results indicate that college students reporting lower levels of health-related behaviors engage in more preventative measures during a pandemic. Understanding distinct health-related behaviors profiles among college students, and their links with COVID-preventative health-related behaviors, can inform prevention strategies.

The Associations Between Drinking Motives and Alcohol-Related Consequences in Graduate Students from Universities in the United States.

Many college students "mature out" of heavy drinking when they graduate. Yet, those who go onto graduate education report engaging in problematic drinking patterns. Drinking motives are one factor that uniquely predicts problematic drinking patterns in college students. Evidence suggests that these unique associations also generalize to individuals' post-college, specifically between drinking motives and specific alcohol-related consequences. However, no research to date has examined the association between drinking motives and alcohol-related consequences in graduate students. The current study aimed to examine the unique associations between drinking motives, and drinks per week and specific alcohol-related consequences. Participants included 330 graduate students from various universities in the United States, recruited through social media. The majority of participants were White (71.3%), 54.9% female identifying, with a mean age of 26. Results revealed that conformity motives were positively associated with drinks per week, self-control consequences, self-care consequences, risky consequences, academic/occupational consequences, and blackout consequences. Social motives were negatively associated with interpersonal consequences and academic/occupational consequences. Enhancement motives were negatively associated with drinks per week, and positively associated with academic/occupational consequences. However, coping motivation was not associated with any of the outcomes. These findings highlight the need to further understand how drinking motives influence specific types of alcohol-related consequences as these associations change post-college. Results can be used to better inform future prevention and interventions for this population.

Development, feasibility, and acceptability of SPoRT: a dating violence and sexual risk prevention intervention for college student-athletes.

BACKGROUND: Student-athletes are one subgroup of college students in the USA at risk for dating violence and sexual risk behaviors. Despite this, research on student-athletes' dating behaviors is limited; existing research pertains primarily to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes and focuses on male student-athletes as perpetrators of dating and sexual violence. While some existing programs aim to reduce dating violence and promote healthy relationships, these programs are education based, and not tailored to the specific strengths and challenges of student-athletes. We therefore designed Supporting Prevention in Relationships for Teams (SPoRT), a novel, four-session prevention intervention for Division III student-athletes of all genders to reduce dating violence and sexual risk behavior by targeting knowledge and skills identified in pilot research, incorporating psychoeducation with techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, bystander intervention, and normative feedback. METHODS: This study represents stage 1 of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development, evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of SPoRT. We describe the development, content, and proposed delivery methods for SPoRT and evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the program using a mixed-methods approach. Thirty college student-athletes (12 men, 18 women) completed questionnaires and participated in focus groups to provide feedback on the program's length, timing, group size and dynamics, content, and suggestions for making the SPoRT prevention intervention more feasible and acceptable. RESULTS: Our recruitment procedures were successful, and participants rated the program as feasible in terms of delivery methods and logistics. Participants liked that SPoRT was developed based on pilot data collected from student-athletes, brief, and skills based and tailored to athletic team needs. SPoRT was perceived as appropriate and relevant to student-athlete needs in terms of dating violence and sexual risk prevention knowledge and skills. Most participants (63%) rated the program as "excellent" and said they would recommend it to others. CONCLUSIONS: We found SPoRT to be both feasible and acceptable in terms of content and delivery. Suggested modifications will be incorporated into the SPoRT healthy relationships prevention intervention to be tested in an NIH Stage 1 efficacy trial.

The Role of Coping Behaviors and Intoxication in Trauma Symptomology Subsequent to Sexual Victimization.

College women are at an elevated risk for sexual victimization (SV) and secondary physical and psychological consequences. While some women experience negative outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), others experience reduced or complete absence of distress following SV. The variation in outcomes may be associated with the victim's level of intoxication, which may in turn affect their processing of and coping with the event. We examined the effects of SV severity on PTSD via coping and intoxication using a moderated mediation analysis among female college students (N = 375). Results demonstrate that coping mediates the association between SV severity and PTSD symptomology; however, intoxication did not moderate these associations. Results suggest that regardless of intoxication, SV severity influences various coping styles and plays an important role in a victim's adjustment post-victimization.

Reassessing the Confluence Model of Men's Risk for Sexual Aggression.

Reassessing the confluence model of men's risk for sexual aggression-the confluence model of sexual aggression has been widely used to study men's risk for perpetrating sexual violence. Over time, researchers have attempted to expand this model to improve its predictive utility. Unfortunately, this work has continued to produce similar results with only slight improvements in prediction at best. One explanation for the inability to enhance the model could be due to changes in the dating landscape and shifts in beliefs about gender roles. Therefore, the current study aims to reassess the confluence model using a more contemporary construct, hostile sexism, in an effort to improve the predictive utility of the confluence model of sexual aggression. Participants were 258 college men recruited from a medium-sized public university in the northeastern United States, using an online participant pool of students who volunteered to participate as part of a requirement for a psychology course. Structural equation modeling using mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares estimation indicated that the confluence of hostile sexism and impersonal sex appears to be a better predictor of sexual aggression in comparison to the confluence of hostile masculinity and impersonal sex. The results suggest that replacing hostile masculinity with hostile sexism may produce a model that is better able to predict men's risk for perpetrating sexual aggression. These results can provide insight for future iterations of the confluence model, which may include hostile sexism as a core construct. Attitudes that stem from hostile sexism may be a beneficial target for future interventions designed to decrease the frequency of perpetration.

Understanding Attraction, Behavior, and Identity in the Asexual Community.

Models of sexuality have evolved substantially in the past several decades through the inclusion of new aspects which were previously overlooked. Components such as romantic attraction and behavior have also traditionally been included in models of sexuality. However, romantic and sexual orientations do not coincide for all individuals. A population for which this is true and one that has developed a robust language for discussing romantic orientation is the asexual community. The current study aimed to explore romantic and sexual orientation through patterns found within the factors of attraction, behavior, and identity in the asexual community. The current sample composed of individuals who identified as asexual (N = 306, Mage = 27.1) was 61% female, 13% non-binary, and 10% self-described or used multiple labels. Within this sample, aspects of sexual and romantic orientations and experiences were measured, including fluidity, the quantity and type of self-identified labels, desire for romance or sex, and the role of contextual influences on these experiences. These aspects were used as the primary characteristics to construct participant profiles, both complete profiles and factor specific (attraction, behavior, identity). t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (tSNE) was used to find patterns of similarity between individual participant profiles. Overall, it appeared that attraction was the factor most closely associated with overall experiences; however, substantial variability existed between participants. These findings provide a mechanism for better understanding of some nuances of romantic and sexual orientation and may be a useful first step toward future inquiry and hypothesis generation.

A Content Analysis of Posts to an Online Support Forum for "Girl Lovers".

The internet is an effective tool for studying the cognitive distortions among those with a sexual attraction to children. Identified through previous works, users of an online "boy love" forum were found to present a variety of justifications for adult-child sexual relations. The current study extends this line of inquiry, analyzing posts from an online "girl love" forum. We found that the most common justification to appear reflected a belief that societal attitudes and authority figures were to blame for the harms caused by adult-child sex. We also found that the forum provided users with support and reinforcement for such distorted beliefs. Overall, online forums provide a window into the cognitive life of individuals with a sexual attraction to children, and one that reflects beliefs that may be largely unexpressed in the confines of forensic treatment settings.

An Evaluation of the Methodological Underpinnings of a Laboratory Paradigm for the Study of Sexual Violence.

Ethically constructed laboratory paradigms can provide behaviorally based opportunities to study sexual violence as an addition to questionnaires. One such paradigm invites male participants to watch and show sexual materials to a female confederate as an analog of sexual perpetration. However, there has been inconsistency in the confederate's presentation, such that she either expresses a dislike of sexual material or her preferences are omitted. Some researchers have also questioned whether an expressed dislike is analogous to an expressed nonconsent. As such, the primary goal of the current study was to determine whether confederate expressions of dislike, nonconsent, or the omission of a preference, differentially affect male participants' behavior within a well-established paradigm. That is, we attempted to clarify the appropriate methodology for future researchers (i.e., the validity of the paradigm) and determine the impact of such a situational manipulation on laboratory-based sexual violence. Participants were 276 adult men, who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) dislike, (2) nonconsent, or (3) said nothing (the omission of a preference) and then asked to show a brief video clip to the female confederate who expressed these preferences. Overall, exposure to experimental condition predicted sexual video-showing over and above that of social desirability, hostile sexism (HS), and sexual violence history, suggesting that situational variables can play a significant role in laboratory-based sexual violence. Greater HS was associated with greater likelihood of sexual video-showing in the nonconsent condition relative to the dislike condition. Sexual video-showing was most frequent in the said nothing condition. In sum, researchers should be mindful of the confederate expression (or lack thereof) of preferences for sexual materials when using the sexual imposition paradigm.

Does Sexism Mediate the Gender and Rape Myth Acceptance Relationship?

Compared with women, men tend to blame assault victims, exonerate perpetrators, and report higher levels of sexism and rape myths. The goal of the present study was to determine whether sexist beliefs mediate the established relationship between gender and rape myth acceptance in a sample of 626 college students. Results demonstrated that hostile sexism, complementary gender differentiation, and heterosexual intimacy mediated the relationship between gender and rape myth acceptance, suggesting that these attitudes play a role in victim blaming and have potential to inform the development of sexual assault prevention programs.

An Examination of Dating Violence Among College Student-Athletes.

College students are at increased risk for dating violence (DV) perpetration and victimization. One group of college students who may be at elevated risk is college student-athletes. While levels of athletic involvement range from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I to Division III, there is currently a lack of information about the dating and relationship behaviors of male and female Division III student-athletes. This study identified the frequency of both minor and severe physical, psychological, and sexual DV perpetration and victimization in a sample of NCAA Division III college student-athletes. We also examined hazardous drinking and hostile sexism as risk factors for DV perpetration and victimization among male and female student-athletes. A total of 350 student-athletes from a Division III university participated in this study. In total, 57% of student-athletes reported perpetrating some form of DV in the past year, while 56% reported experiencing some form of DV victimization in the past year. Two negative binomial generalized linear models assessed if hazardous drinking and hostile sexism were associated with sexual assault perpetration and victimization among men and women. Both hostile sexism and hazardous drinking were predictive of DV perpetration and victimization. These findings serve as an important first step in identifying behaviors that contribute to DV among Division III student-athletes and can be used to inform future prevention interventions aimed at decreasing DV among student-athletes.

An analysis of the sexual health and safety information study abroad directors present their students prior to departure.

Objective: Study abroad students engage in problematic alcohol use, risky sexual activity, and maintain high risk for sexual assault; however, there is a lack of information about relevant prevention practices in study abroad programs. The purpose of this project was to understand the health and safety behaviors (HSBs) discussed with students prior to departure. Method: A total of 143 study abroad program directors from the U.S. completed an online survey, including demographics of the program director and institution, and questions about the HSBs discussed with students. Results: Chi-square analyses revealed that discussions of HSBs rarely differed by institution size or location; however, all HSBs were more likely to be discussed by directors administering programs with higher enrollment. Conclusion: Study abroad directors provide some basic information on sexual health to their students; however, more work is needed to ensure students are informed and attending to information about potential health risks prior to traveling abroad.

Students' Alcohol Use, Sexual Behaviors, and Contraceptive Use While Studying Abroad.

College study abroad students may represent a subgroup at risk for increased alcohol use and sexual activity while traveling. The present study explored student's alcohol use, sexual activity, and the interrelationship between the two while abroad. A sample of 372 students (Mage abroad = 20, SD = 3.3, 68% women) who had traveled abroad in the past 3 years were recruited from a large, southern university. Students completed an online survey of demographics, alcohol use, sexual behaviors, and contraceptive use. Students reported consuming an average of six drinks in one sitting, and 76% of women and men met criteria for 'hazardous drinking' while abroad. Students who met criteria for 'hazardous drinking' were more likely to engage in sexual activity; however, they also had a greater likelihood of wearing a condom. Our findings show students engage in problematic drinking and this is related to their engagement in sexual activity while abroad. Findings extend previous research and suggest study abroad programs should address norms around drinking and sexual activity prior to travel to ensure students' safety while abroad.

A content analysis of sexual health and substance use information presented on study abroad websites: Findings and recommendations.

Objective: Despite study abroad students frequently engaging in risky behaviors, there is a dearth of research exploring prevention efforts taken by study abroad programs. The goal of this project was to examine information presented on study abroad program websites regarding sexual assault, alcohol use, drug use, and risky sexual behavior. Participants: A total of 753 universities in the US were selected from the Carnegie Classification of Institutes database. Method: Coders evaluated the website of each institution's study abroad program for the presence of information about the four factors of interest. Results: Sixty-seven percent of the websites provided no information on any of these risk behaviors. Chi-square analyses revealed institutional demographic differences in the presentation of prevention information. We also identified three emerging themes about avenues for modifying website content. Conclusion: Study abroad programs can provide more detail and action oriented information on their websites for students.

Understanding contributing factors to verbal coercion while studying abroad.

OBJECTIVE: Verbal coercion (VC) is a common sexual assault (SA) tactic whereby men and women can be victims or perpetrators. College study abroad students report engagement in casual sex, alcohol consumption, and immersion in a sexualized environment (eg, an environment that supports or encourages sexual activity); factors highly associated with SA in general. The purpose of this study was to examine casual sex, alcohol use, and sexualized environments with VC victimization (VCV) and perpetration (VCP) while abroad. METHOD: Study abroad students (N = 130) completed questionnaires on alcohol use, casual sex, immersion in a sexualized environment, and VC experiences. RESULTS: Participants were more likely to report both VCV and VCP while abroad if they immersed themselves in a sexualized environment; identifying as male was associated with VCP. CONCLUSION: Results can inform intervention by providing directors with specific constructs to discuss in pre-departure meetings, such as the influence of the environment on VC.

An Evaluation of Adolescent and Young Adult (Re)Victimization Experiences: Problematic Substance Use and Negative Consequences.

We investigated substance use and negative consequences in women who experienced an initial sexual assault (SA) in high school and subsequently in college. More than 650 participants completed questionnaires assessing substance use/consequences, SA history, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology. Revictimized women reported differential substance use/consequences relative to controls underscoring the need to conceptualize adolescence as a key developmental period with a unique pathway to a subsequent SA, especially in association with substance use. We propose that prevention interventions should begin no later than ninth grade to limit the risk for an initial experience of SA and any consequential substance use and abuse.

The Influence of Gender Ideology, Victim Resistance, and Spiking a Drink on Acquaintance Rape Attributions.

The current study examined observer's attributions about the victim and perpetrator of an alleged acquaintance rape. Participants included 504 college students from a public university in the northeastern United States who read a brief crime report and completed a series of questionnaires for course credit. While men tended to attribute more blame to the victim than women, gender ideology emerged as a stronger predictor of rape attributions, and some types of sexist beliefs were associated with greater victim blaming and others with less victim blaming. Endorsement of hostile sexism, rape myths, and heterosexual intimacy was generally associated with the attribution of greater victim culpability, as well as less perpetrator culpability, perpetrator criminality, and victim credibility. However, complementary gender differentiation was associated with greater perpetrator culpability and criminality, while protective paternalism was associated with greater victim credibility. Observers attributed lower victim culpability and greater perpetrator criminality when the victim's drink was spiked, and attributed greater perpetrator culpability when the victim verbally resisted the perpetrator's advances. Given the implications that observer attitudes can have on professional and personal support for survivors, as well as juror decision making, the ongoing examination of the complex interplay between the person and situational factors affecting attributions of rape is essential. Sexual assault prevention programs may also benefit from a psychoeducational component that targets reducing traditional gender ideology.

Using a pattern-centered approach to assess sexual risk-taking in study abroad students.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of several potential factors related to sexually risky behaviors in study abroad students. The authors utilized a pattern-centered analysis to identify specific groups that can be targeted for intervention. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 173 students who studied abroad in a variety of international locations for an average of 4 months. METHODS: Participants completed questionnaires informed by the Triandis Theory of Interpersonal Behavior that have been predictive of risky sex in traditional traveling environments. RESULTS: The analyses revealed 3 different pathways for risky sexual behavior: Environmental involvement, historical condom use, and intentions to engage in risky sex. CONCLUSION: These findings can be used for identification of specific high-risk groups of students who can be targeted for predeparture prevention programs.

Men's Perceptions of an Acquaintance Rape: The Role of Relationship Length, Victim Resistance, and Gender Role Attitudes.

Sexual aggression is a persistent and prevalent issue in the United States, which often results in a number of psychological, emotional, and physical consequences for victims. The current study examined whether the length of relationship between the victim and perpetrator, level of victim resistance, and observers' gender role attitudes play a role in observers' perceptions of an alleged sexual assault. Participants included 297 male college students from a public university in the Northeastern United States. Contrary to hypotheses, there were no significant effects for length of relationship on participants' attributions. Relative to no resistance, verbal and physical strategies by the victim predicted higher levels of victim credibility, perpetrator culpability, and perpetrator guilt, as well as lower levels of victim culpability and perceived victim pleasure. Endorsement of traditional adversarial sex role beliefs and hostile sexist attitudes, as opposed to egalitarian attitudes, were associated with the attribution of less credibility to the victim, perceived victim trauma, perpetrator culpability, perpetrator guilt, and shorter recommended prison sentences, as well as greater victim culpability and perceived victim pleasure. Laypersons' perceptions of sexual assault merit further study, as they are relevant to juror decision making and third party responses to sexual victimization (e.g., peer support for victim) and can contribute to the secondary victimization and recovery of survivors of sexual assault.

Effects of offender motivation, victim gender, and participant gender on perceptions of rape victims and offenders.

The primary purpose of the present study was to examine whether knowledge of the motivation of an offender can influence participant perceptions of victim and perpetrator responsibility for a sexual assault. In addition, the synergistic influence of victim gender and participant gender with offender motivation was explored. Participants were 171 men and women from a small Northeastern college exposed to a stimulus in which a rapist's motivation was varied as either sexual or violent. Participants were more certain that the stimulus described a rape, recommended a longer prison sentence for the offender, and assigned less blame to the victim when exposed to an offender motivated by violence as opposed to an offender motivated by sex. Offender motivation also interacted with participant gender and victim gender on participants' perceptions of victim blame and offender responsibility. The results suggest that an offender's motivation for rape can influence perceptions of the offender's and victim's responsibility for the assault.

An exploration of readiness to change processes in a clinical sample of military service members.

The purpose of this project was to examine readiness to change (RTC) processes in a sample of substance dependent military service members who completed an intensive substance abuse treatment program. The patients completed the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES), which is an RTC assessment instrument, at intake and completion of the treatment program. It was predicted that patients would show positive changes in their RTC from intake to treatment completion. Scores on two of the three SOCRATES subscales were significantly improved. The findings suggest that RTC processes measurably change during treatment and further suggest that the SOCRATES is an appropriate tool for assessing short term changes in RTC.