1. Short-term mating orientation as a predictor of alcohol use and risky sexual behavior.
- Author
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Lopez, Susanna V., Krems, Jaimie Arona, Dunn, Delaney S., Warner, Emily, and Leffingwell, Thad R.
- Subjects
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RISK-taking behavior , *RESEARCH , *ALCOHOLISM , *RISK assessment , *UNDERGRADUATES , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *STATISTICAL correlation , *UNSAFE sex - Abstract
Sexual Strategies Theory suggests people fall on a continuum between having short-term mating orientation (STMO) and long-term mating orientation. One way STMO individuals signal mating goals is via risky drinking. The current study therefore aims to investigate drinks per week (DPW) as a mediator between STMO and risky sexual behavior (RSB), with gender as a moderator between STMO and DPW. Undergraduate students (N = 300) from a Midwestern university during Fall 2019. Participants completed questionnaires assessing STMO, DPW, and RSB frequency. A moderated-mediation model indicated DPW significantly mediated the relationship between STMO and RSB. Positive associations were found among all three variables. Gender was not a moderator between STMO and DPW. Mating orientation was a correlate of alcohol use and RSB for women and men, contributing to the literature identifying STMO as an indicator of those in need of substance use and RSB intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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