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Distal and Proximal Influences on Men’s Intentions to Resist Condoms: Alcohol, Sexual Aggression History, Impulsivity, and Social-Cognitive Factors

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Abstract

Recent scientific evidence demonstrates that many young men commonly resist condom use with their female sex partners and that both alcohol intoxication and a history of sexual aggression may increase the risk of condom use resistance (CUR). Using a community sample of heterosexual male non-problem drinkers with elevated sexual risk (N = 311), this alcohol administration study examined the direct and indirect effects of intoxication and sexual aggression history on men’s CUR intentions through a sexual risk analogue. State impulsivity, CUR-related attitudes, and CUR-related self-efficacy were assessed as mediators. Results demonstrated that alcohol intoxication directly increased CUR intentions, and sexual aggression history both directly and indirectly increased CUR intentions. These findings highlight the importance of addressing both alcohol use and sexual aggression in risky sex prevention programs, as well as indicate the continued worth of research regarding the intersection of men’s alcohol use, sexual aggression, and sexual risk behaviors, especially CUR.

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Notes

  1. Analyses were also conducted using the traditional coding scheme of “most severe assault perpetrated.” The pattern of results did not differ between the two SES scoring methods.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant to the first author from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01-AA017608).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Washington, Box 354900, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Kelly Cue Davis

  2. Institutional Research and Decision Support, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA

    Cinnamon L. Danube

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Elizabeth C. Neilson, William H. George & Kelly F. Kajumulo

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Cynthia A. Stappenbeck

  5. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jeanette Norris

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  1. Kelly Cue Davis
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  2. Cinnamon L. Danube
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Correspondence to Kelly Cue Davis.

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Davis, K.C., Danube, C.L., Neilson, E.C. et al. Distal and Proximal Influences on Men’s Intentions to Resist Condoms: Alcohol, Sexual Aggression History, Impulsivity, and Social-Cognitive Factors. AIDS Behav 20 (Suppl 1), 147–157 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1132-9

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