Non-Intercourse and Intercourse Hookup Intentions, Drinking Expectancies, and College Students’ Heavy Drinking

Background The current study tested the associations between college students’ intentions to hookup (i.e., specifically intending to go out and engage in sexual behavior with a non-romantic partner) and self-reported heavy drinking. Further, social and sexual enhancement drinking expectancies were tested as moderators of those associations. Methods College students ( N = 235) reported (a) if they had specifically intended to hookup (reported separately for non-intercourse and intercourse hookup intentions) in the past 6 months; (b) social and sexual enhancement drinking expectancies; and (c) heavy drinking (a composite of past-30-day drinking frequency, typical amount consumed per drinking occasion, and how many times they got drunk). Data were analyzed using a hierarchical multiple regression (HMR), controlling for demographic variables. Results Non-intercourse hookup intentions were positively associated with heavy drinking, but intercourse hookup intentions were not. Sexual but not social enhancement drinking expectancies moderated the associations between both types of hookup intentions and heavy drinking. Among those who had intended a non-intercourse hookup, heavy drinking was greater when they also reported high (+1 SD) sexual enhancement drinking expectancies. For intercourse hookup intentions, higher (+1 SD) sexual enhancement drinking expectancies were associated with less heavy drinking. Conclusions Pursuing non-intercourse hookups appears to be associated with heavy drinking, but intercourse hookup intention is not. Sexual enhancement drinking expectancies moderated those associations. Thus, an interest in some types of casual sexual experiences may promote heavy drinking among college students.