Personality, Sexuality, And Substance Use As Predictors of Sexual Risk Taking in College Students‪.‬

Risky sexual behaviors are a serious problem on college campuses in the United States (Pluhar, Fongillo, Stycos, & Dempster-McClain, 2003), with a large number of undergraduates reportedly engaging in these behaviors, such as using drugs or alcohol prior to sex, having multiple partners, engaging in casual sex, and using condoms inconsistently during vaginal and anal sex (e.g., Baldwin & Baldwin, 2000; Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 1997; Cooper, 2002; Grello, Welsh, & Harper, 2006; Gullette & Lyons, 2006; Lewis, Malow, & Ireland, 1997; Paul, McManus, & Hayes, 2000; Scholly, Katz, Gascoigne, & Holck, 2005). In a nationally representative sample of U.S. college students, it was found that 48.3% of those enrolled in two-year institutions and 24.2% of those enrolled in four-year institutions reported having been pregnant or getting someone pregnant (CDC, 1997). A more recent study of four college campuses, however, found a relatively low rate of both reported unintended pregnancy (3.2%) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that "affected their academic performance" (p. 163; 0.5%) among four-year college students (Scholly et al., 2005). However, due to the advertising in the Scholly et al. study (using posters about sexual practices), this study may not be generalizable because of a self-selection bias. Although not specific to college students, another recent study found that the rates of unintended pregnancy were highest among women aged 18 to 24, with one in 10 women within this age group reporting an unintended pregnancy in 2001 (Finer & Henshaw, 2006). Additionally, it is estimated that 19 million STIs occur annually in the United States, with almost one half occurring among adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 (Weinstock, Berman, & Cates, 2004). Sexual risk taking remains an important issue that merits further research to better identify college students who are at risk of, or currently are engaging in these behaviors. The early identification of these individuals could aid in the development and implementation of better prevention and intervention programming, thereby decreasing the number of STIs and unintended pregnancies in this group. Determining the types of sexual risk taking that are occurring in the college population can help focus education and prevention efforts for this at-risk group. Currently, on most college campuses, there are no well-implemented, theory-based STI or HIV prevention or intervention programs in place (e.g., Jaworski & Carey, 2001). However, research has indicated that skills-based interventions focusing on behavioral change have had some positive, lasting effects in reducing STI and HIV risk behaviors (e.g., Jaworski & Carey, 2001; Sikkema, Winett, & Lombard, 1995; Wolitski et al., 2006).