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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Monica B. Scales, MA, PhD Stud and Jennifer Monahan, PhD. Speech Communication, University of Georgia, Terrell Hall, Athens, GA 30602, 404-735-0099, monica.scales@gmail.com

College peer-based interventions have been successful at reducing risk behaviors, such as drunk driving, associated with acute alcohol intoxication. However, such campaigns have not been extended to other important risk behaviors such as risky sexual behavior. The study assessed the conditions under which college students (N = 467) would intervene with an intoxicated female peer who was about to get involved in a risky sexual situation and the types of intervention strategies students felt comfortable using. A 2 (participant gender) x 3 (peer drinking condition) x 2 (relationship with peer) x 2 (risk of sexual behavior) x 2 (1st or 2nd influence attempt) design was used. Gender was measured, influence attempt was within subjects and all other factors were between subjects. Participants indicated whether they would intervene and the likelihood of using 3 positive and 3 negative strategies to intervene. Repeated measures ANOVA and hierarchical regression were used to test hypotheses. Obligation to peer predicted the decision to initially intervene whereas danger to peer predicted whether they continued intervening when met with rejection. Participants preferred positive strategies at both times however they were more likely to try a negative strategy at the follow up influence attempt. Men were more likely to intervene with an acquaintance whereas women were more likely to intervene with a close friend. Implications for designing interventions that work with students' strong preferences for non-intrusive positively-valenced influence strategies and encouraging male students to intervene with female peers in risky sexual situations are described.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be able to

• identify the types of compliance gaining strategies peer agents use in risky social situations involving alcohol,
• recognize the underutilization of male peer agents in persuading females to act responsibly when drinking alcohol, and
• better understand how to extended alcohol college age peer-to-peer campaign beyond drunk driving to other important risk behaviors such as risky sexual behavior

Keywords: Alcohol, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered