Interventions for alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors among college students: A systematic review

Alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors are common among college students. Though various interventions targeting these behaviors have been examined, the literature does not currently include a review of these strategies. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, yielding 7 randomized controlled trials. Relevant outcome variables included unprotected sex, alcohol in conjunction with sex, and number of sexual partners. Findings suggested that interventions utilizing reminder cues or motivational interviewing-based techniques were largely found to be effective in increasing condom use behaviors among intoxicated individuals, while support for personalized normative feedback (PNF) for the same outcome was mixed. However, PNF interventions were generally effective in reducing alcohol use in conjunction with sex. Finally, though few studies examined number of sexual partners, there are mixed findings for interventions (i.e., motivational interviewing, PNF) targeting this outcome. Overall, there is promising, albeit mixed, evidence of the effectiveness of interventions targeting various alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors among college students. Strengths, limitations, and implications of the findings of this systematic review for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record