One important task of emerging adulthood is the formation of romantic partnerships and initiation of sexual relationships. For many women, college serves as an environment that tends to foster sexual exploration and development, as college students are exposed to increased independence from parents, are surrounded by same-age peers, and have limited real-world responsibilities. Further, for many women, college is the first experience of long term romantic relationships and students may also become sexually active. However, in the process of navigating these tasks related to sexual development, many college women engage in sexual risk behaviors, resulting in various physical, emotional, and social consequences. Such risk behaviors include uncommitted or casual sex, consuming alcohol or using drugs before or during sex, impulsive sexual behaviors, and engaging in sexual behaviors with risky partners. Certain aspects of campus culture can certainly contribute to encouraging or promoting engagement in sexual risk behaviors. Previous research has supported that there are likely many unique individual and environmental influences that affect college women's sexual decision making and development. Additionally, some research has specifically examined profiles of young adults' sexual behavior, and have identified several distinct behavioral groups, highlighting multiple non-risky and risky sexual behavior profiles. This research supports the notion that college students are engaging in different patterns of sexual behaviors, varying in risk level. However, there is limited work overall in this area, and there are several limitations among the existing literature, including utilizing a narrow definition of sexual risk behavior (e.g., only assessing lifetime sexual partners, dichotomizing behavior as risky or not risky), examining specific subgroups only (e.g. African American women), and largely failing to consider environmental and external influences on sexual behavior among college women. In order to address the limitations in the current literature and to gain a clearer understanding of the different profiles of sexual behavior among this population, the current dissertation sought to identify profiles of sexual risk behavior by utilizing a latent profile analysis among a sample of 1,534 sexually active college women between the ages of 18 and 25. Specifically, sexual behavior profiles related to a number of sexual risk behaviors (e.g., uncommitted and causal sexual behaviors, unexpected and unanticipated sexual behaviors, and alcohol-related sexual behaviors) were examined. Further, using multinomial logistic regressions, individual and microsystem correlates associated with profile membership were further examined, including sexual motives, sexual functioning and satisfaction, drinking behavior, psychological adjustment, perception of peer norms, and perception of peer approval of sexual risk behaviors. Results supported that the data best fit a four class model of the following four profiles: low risk, moderate risk: party hookups, moderate risk: risky partners, and high risk. Notable correlates related to profile membership included hazardous drinking, endorsement of coping motives for sex, sexual satisfaction, perception of peer norms, and perception of peer approval. Though there are some limitations of the current research, this dissertation provides evidence of the presence of different behavioral patterns regarding sexual risk behavior among college women. Further research directions and specific clinical implications are discussed, as the results provide valuable information that could contribute to tailoring sexual health interventions among college women.

"The link between alcohol use and sexual behaviour has serious implications for the health of populations due to the advent of HIV infection. WHO coordinated a multi-country study to identify factors related to risky sexual behaviour among alcohol users in diverse cultural settings. The countries involved included: Belarus, India, Mexico, Kenya, Romania, the Russian Federation, South Africa and Zambia."--Back cover.

African American college women are experiencing sex-related negative consequences (e.g., contracting sexually transmitted diseases or human immunodeficiency virus, having an unplanned pregnancy) at disproportionate rates in comparison to Caucasian college women. Furthermore, African American college women are likely engaging in risky sexual behaviors (e.g., unprotected anal, vaginal, oral sex) that may be placing them at a greater risk for experiencing sex-related negative consequences. Research suggests that increased alcohol consumption is predictive of more risky sexual behavior among college women. Additionally, sex-related alcohol expectancies, or beliefs about the effects of alcohol on sexual behavior, are positively associated with increased alcohol consumption and risky sexual behavior and therefore, may attenuate the association alcohol use has with risky sexual behaviors among African American college women. Because of the underrepresentation of African American college women in research examining the aforementioned factors, the purpose of the present study was to examine the link between sex-related alcohol expectancies (i.e., enhancement, sexual risk taking, disinhibition), alcohol consumption, and risky sexual behaviors exclusively among a sample of African American college women at a midsized Southern university. Multiple and hierarchical linear regression analyses yielded the following results: (a) enhancement sex-related alcohol expectancies predicted increased risky sexual behavior, (b) sex-related alcohol expectancies did not predict increased alcohol consumption and (c) did not moderate the relationship between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviors. Clinical and research implications will be discussed. --Page ii.

Models of sexual behavior posit that both pharmacological and expectancy effects of alcohol contribute to myriad sexual behavior. One type of sexual behavior that has recently garnered significant attention is sexual hookups or sexual behavior with a non-monogamous sexual partner. Online dating, a novel methodology for meeting dating partners, alcohol, and individual difference factors may be mechanisms to encourage greater opportunity for sexual hookups among emerging adult women. Although there is support for alcohol-related sexual hookups being related to proximal negative consequences, hookups can also have positive outcomes. Less is known about whether proximal outcomes of casual sex contribute to longer-term psychopathology and indices of well-being. We recruited 164 single, social drinking post-college women to complete baseline, six weeks of daily diary, and follow up surveys on alcohol use and sexual behavior. Within-person level of intoxication was associated with increased likelihood of engaging in a sexual hookup, while women who used online dating reported lower intoxication during a hookup relative to those who met their partner through other means. Further, subscales of sex-specific alcohol expectancies and impulsivity were differentially associated with proximal negative and positive outcomes of sexual hookups. The proximal negative emotional reactions to sexual hookups were associated with higher depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem, and a desire to decrease future sexual behavior at follow up. Conversely, the proximal positive outcomes of sexual hookups measured in the daily diary surveys were associated with higher self-esteem and autonomy, and fewer depressive symptoms at follow up. Overall, our results highlighted the continuum of experiences women have as a result of exploring their sexuality with casual partners, experiences that are influenced by alcohol, individual differences, and contextual factors.

Research has shown a link between sexual risk taking among college women and a decrease in self-esteem. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the sexual risk-taking practices occurring within the academic achieving, more affluent, Caucasian and female college student population. The secondary purpose of this study is to explore what sexual risk-taking patterns exist within behavioral and sociocultural constructed variables and demographic information among college women. The variables examined are religion, self-esteem and reported depressive symptoms. Additional variables used during analysis are body weight and race and/or ethnicity of college women. There are three primary research questions being examined in this study: (a) Do college women with higher academic achievement report more sexual risk-taking practices than those with lower academic achievement? (b) Do women of a higher socioeconomic status choose birth control over disease prevention in their sexual encounters? (c) Do behavioral and sociocultural variables make a difference in risky sexual behavior of college women? The American College Health Association (ACHA) National College Health Assessment II (NCHA-II) has been used to measure the college student health habits and practices at over 540 college and universities in the United States and Canada. The instrument was administered online in spring 2010 and received 872 responses, of which 542 were from female students. The data is analyzed through multiple logistic regressions. Findings of statistical significance were found between academic achievement and sexual risk taking, the number of partners a college woman has and sexual risk taking, and increase in human papillomavirus (HPV). This study also affirmed prior research that there was a significant difference in the sexual risk taking between college women who had been diagnosed with depression in the last year. The study demonstrates the connection between depressive symptoms and sexual risk taking. The research does not present a judgment about sex--but rather, evidence regarding the lack of disease prevention, the long-term implications, and possible causes of increases in casual sex on college campuses.