Alcohol's Impact on Men's Sexual Risk Behavior

Overseen By Nolan Eldridge

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Arizona State University

Must not be taking: Alcohol contraindications

Disqualifiers: Alcohol problems, Monogamous relationship, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

320 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how alcohol influences men's decisions regarding safe sex, particularly their use of condoms when partners express a desire to use them. Researchers are testing how various factors, such as alcohol and a partner's mood, affect these decisions. Participants will encounter different scenarios involving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, along with changes in partner mood. Men who have recently engaged in unprotected sex with women and consume alcohol at least once a week may be suitable candidates. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding the social factors that influence safe sex practices.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you have a medical condition or take medications that make alcohol consumption unsafe.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that drinking alcohol can affect sexual behavior. In one study, about 62% of participants reported having sex after drinking, and 29% of these individuals admitted to being less careful about safety due to alcohol consumption. Another study found a link between alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors, such as inconsistent condom use and having multiple partners.

Regarding mood changes, research does not directly connect them to negative outcomes. Instead, it examines how emotions might influence decisions in sexual situations. For instance, difficulty managing positive emotions was linked to riskier sexual activities.

In this trial, participants will receive a controlled amount of alcohol and mood descriptions. No evidence suggests that mood changes themselves cause harm. However, it is important to consider how alcohol might affect decision-making and behavior during the study. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how alcohol and mood manipulation can influence men's sexual risk behavior, a topic not usually addressed by standard care options. Unlike traditional methods that might focus on education or psychological interventions, this trial uses specific experimental manipulations: administering an alcoholic beverage to achieve a specific breath alcohol concentration and describing a hypothetical partner's mood. By examining how these factors interact, researchers hope to uncover new insights into behavior patterns and potentially inform future interventions that can address risky sexual behaviors more effectively.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective?

This trial will examine the impact of alcohol and mood on men's sexual risk behavior. Participants will be assigned to different groups, including those receiving an alcoholic beverage. Research has shown a close link between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviors. Studies have found that alcohol can lead to inconsistent condom use and increase the likelihood of unprotected sex, as it lowers self-control and makes risky choices more common.

Other participants will receive a non-alcoholic beverage, while some will undergo mood manipulations. Emotions significantly influence sexual behavior. Feeling down can reduce sexual interest, while feeling good often boosts confidence and ability. These emotional changes can affect how men handle situations involving sex and protection.

Overall, both alcohol and mood can influence sexual decisions, often increasing the likelihood of risky behaviors. This trial aims to explore these influences further. ^{1 2 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Kelly Davis, PhD

Principal Investigator

Arizona State University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for single men aged 21-30 who have had unprotected sex with a woman at least once in the past year, drink alcohol twice a week, and have been sexually active recently. Men with alcohol problems or medical issues that make drinking unsafe can't participate.

Inclusion Criteria

I have had sex with a woman at least twice in the last month.

I have had unprotected sex with a woman in the last year.

I have drunk alcohol at least twice a week in the last month.

Exclusion Criteria

In a relationship that is monogamous and has lasted longer than 6 months

I cannot drink alcohol due to my health condition or medications.

A history of alcohol problems

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Experimental Manipulation

Participants receive experimental manipulations involving mood and alcohol consumption to assess sexual risk behaviors

1 hour

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for sexual risk behaviors over a period of time

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Alcoholic Beverage
• Non-alcoholic Beverage
• Partner Negative Mood Manipulation
• Partner Positive Mood Manipulation

Trial Overview The study looks at how alcohol affects sexual risk behaviors and aggression in men when interacting with women. It tests if men's emotions and their partner's mood influence these behaviors under the effects of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Partner Negative Mood Manipulation Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants receive an experimental manipulation describing negative emotions in a hypothetical sexual partner.

Group II: Alcoholic beverage Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will receive a dose of alcohol mixed in fruit juice designed to achieve a peak breath alcohol concentration of .08%.

Group III: Partner Positive Mood Manipulation Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants receive an experimental manipulation describing positive emotions in a hypothetical sexual partner.

Group IV: Non-alcoholic beverage Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will receive a beverage that does not contain alcohol (fruit juice only).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Arizona State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

311

Recruited

109,000+

Georgia State University

Collaborator

Trials

71

Recruited

33,600+

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Collaborator

Trials

865

Recruited

1,091,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5824634/

Patterns of Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Behavior ... Several studies demonstrate that drinking increases the likelihood of risky sexual behavior (3, 4), with an association between alcohol consumption and multiple ...

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03900650

NCT03900650 | Men's Sexual Risk Behaviors: Alcohol, ... Statistical analyses will be used to examine the daily influence of emotional states and coping motives on alcohol consumption and sexual risk behaviors and the ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460310000869

The effect of alcohol on sexual risk-taking among young ... Because alcohol consumption and sexual risk-taking were ... This research was supported by a grant from the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation.

4. ssph-journal.org ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605669/full

Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Risky Sexual ... Conclusion: Alcohol consumption is strongly associated with RSBs, including early sexual initiation, inconsistent condom use, and multiple ...

5. ajph.aphapublications.org ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302556

Regularly Drinking Alcohol Before Sexual Activity in a ... Taken together, these results indicate that the consumption of alcohol before sexual activity is related to (1) increased risky behavior, and (2) ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2426779/

Does Alcohol Lead to Sexual Risk Behavior? Findings from ... Alcohol positively associated with risk taking for all three events. Interaction with expectancies was significant for first intercourse and most recent ...

7. cdc.gov cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/alcohol-and-sex-considerations.html

Alcohol Use Effects on Men's and Women's Health Alcohol use, particularly binge drinking, can increase someone's risk for committing or experiencing sexual violence.6 · Sexual violence is ...