Sex-related Distress& Self-medication Drinking In College Women

2022 APR 14 (NewsRx) — By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Women’s Health Weekly — Research findings on Sex Research are discussed in a new report. According to news originating from Seattle, Washington, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Adult sexual assault (ASA) in college remains a concern. Consequently, many college-aged women experience negative emotions surrounding sexual activity (sex-related distress).”

Funders for this research include Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI), University of Washington, NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA), Presidential Dissertation Fellowship from the University of Washington.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of Washington, “Consistent with self-medication theory, some drink to cope with sex-related distress, which may reduce distress, but lead to greater drinking quantity before sex and negative sexual consequences. How women with ASA histories navigate sexual situations and cope with sex-related distress is under researched. We examined ASA, sex-related distress, and drinking to cope motives to understand correlates of drinking before sex. First and second year college women (n = 300) reported on a recent sexual experience in the past six weeks. In the full sample, ASA severity was associated with a greater likelihood of drinking before sex, while general sex-related distress was associated with a lower likelihood. General sex-related distress was associated with event-specific sex-related distress and sexual consequences. There were no differences in number of pre-sex drinks or subjective intoxication during sexual activity based on ASA. In a subsample of women who drank before sexual activity (n = 179), drinking to cope with sex-related distress motives mediated the association between sex-related distress and sexual consequences.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Interventions can draw on these findings to target self-medication drinking in consensual sexual situations.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Examination of Sex-related Distress and Self-medication Drinking Model In Us College Women. The Journal of Sex Research, 2022. The Journal of Sex Research can be contacted at: Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2-4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon OX14 4RN, Oxon, England.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from Elizabeth R. Bird, University of Washington, Dept. of Psychology, Guthrie Hall Box 351525, Seattle, WA 98195, United States. Additional authors for this research include William H. George, Cynthia A. Stappenbeck, Jessica Blayney and Debra Kaysen.

Keywords for this news article include: Seattle, Washington, United States, North and Central America, Sex Research, Health and Medicine, Legal Issues, Self Care, Self Medication, University of Washington.

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The citation for this news report is: NewsRx. New Sex Research Findings from University of Washington Outlined (Examination of Sex-related Distress and Self-medication Drinking Model In Us College Women). Women’s Health Weekly. April 14, 2022; p 3989.