Abstract
Behaviors that pose threats to safety and health, including binge drinking and unprotected sex, increase during a week-long break from university. Understandings with peers regarding these behaviors may be important for predicting behavior and related harms. College students (N = 651; 48% men) reported having understandings with their friends regarding alcohol use (59%) and sexual behavior (45%) during Spring Break. These understandings were to engage in behaviors characterized by risk (e.g., get drunk [23.5%], have sex with someone new [5.2%]) and protection (e.g., drink without getting drunk [17.8%], use condoms [15.8%]). After controlling for previous semester behavior and going on a Spring Break trip, Get Drunk Understandings predicted a greater likelihood of binge drinking and alcohol-related consequences; No/Safe Sex Understandings predicted condom use; and Sex Understandings predicted not using condoms. Understandings with friends regarding Spring Break behavior may be important proximal predictors of risk behaviors and represent potential targets for event-specific prevention.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 108-120 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Journal of youth and adolescence |
Volume | 40 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2011 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Social Psychology
- Education
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)