566 JOURNAL OF STUDIES ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS / JULY 2007 Received: October 2, 2006. Revision: March 19, 2007. *This research was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse grant DA019257 to Christine Lee. † Correspondence may be sent to Joel R. Grossbard at the above address or via email at: joelg13@u.washington.edu. Christine M. Lee, Clayton Neigh- bors, and Mary E. Larimer are with the Department of Psychiatry and Be- havioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 566 ABSTRACT. Objective: Studies indicate greater sexual risk-taking be- haviors and alcohol use in student-athletes compared with nonathletes, particularly in college samples. Although research has documented an association between drinking and risky sex, studies have not examined the role of sex motives in predicting risky sex in athletes. The purpose of the current study was to extend previous research on athletes’ risk- taking behaviors by examining incoming college student-athletes and nonathletes’ alcohol consumption, risky sexual behavior, and sex mo- tives. Method: Participants included 2,123 (58.9% female) incoming college students attending a northwest university, 221 of whom reported intercollegiate athletic participation during their upcoming year. Hier- archical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine asso- ciations between sex motives and risky sexual behaviors using a cross-sectional design. Results: Results indicated greater weekly alco- hol consumption, frequency of drinking before or during sex, and num- ber of sexual partners in athletes compared with nonathletes. Athletes also reported greater levels of enhancement motives for sex and lower levels of intimacy motives than nonathletes, although no differences were found for coping motives. Significant interactions indicated that, for ath- letes, greater levels of enhancement sex motives predicted a greater num- ber of sexual partners and more frequent drinking before or during sex, and greater levels of intimacy motives predicted less frequent drinking before or during sex. Conclusions: Student-athletes are at risk for prob- lematic outcomes associated with risky sex, including drinking before or during sex and having sex with multiple partners. Prevention efforts targeted at incoming college student-athletes should consider the role of sex motives. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 68: 566-574, 2007) Alcohol and Risky Sex in Athletes and Nonathletes: What Roles Do Sex Motives Play?* JOEL R. GROSSBARD, M.S., † CHRISTINE M. LEE, PH.D., † CLAYTON NEIGHBORS, PH.D., † CHRISTIAN S. HENDERSHOT, M.S., AND MARY E. LARIMER, PH.D. † Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, Washington 98195 A DOLESCENCE AND EMERGING ADULTHOOD are crucial developmental periods characterized by self-exploration and experimentation in multiple, health- related domains (e.g., alcohol use, sexual behavior), often accompanied by subsequent increases in risk-taking behav- iors (Arnett, 2000). Adolescents often experience stress as- sociated with their attempts to develop self-esteem and formulate their sexual/romantic identities, and such chal- lenges may result in problematic outcomes associated with risky sexual behavior (Gebhardt et al., 2003; Millstein and Moscicki, 1995; Roberts and Kennedy, 2006). Unplanned and sporadic sexual encounters by adolescents and young adults elevate their risk for experiencing negative health outcomes of unsafe sex, as statistics indicate that one of eight teenagers in the United States contracts a sexually transmitted disease each year, and approximately 20% of all people with AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syn- drome) are in their 20s (Centers for Disease Control, 2000). Risky sex, alcohol use, and athletic participation One group suspected to be at risk for experiencing nega- tive consequences associated with risky sex is student-ath- letes, particularly as they transition to college. Research examining sexual behaviors indicates more frequent sexual intercourse, a greater number of sexual partners, and a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases reported by col- lege athletes compared with nonathletes (Faurie et al., 2004; Nattiv and Puffer, 1991; Nattiv et al., 1997). However, re- sults of studies including college female samples indicate that, among those who report previous sexual activity, ath- letes indicate lower rates of sexual risk-taking behaviors compared with nonathletes (e.g., Kokotailo et al., 1998). Research examining high school athletes’ sexual behavior also reveals important but complex differences in sexual risk-taking behaviors as a function of athletic status (e.g., Miller et al., 2005; Sabo et al., 1999; Savage and Holcomb, 1999). Miller and colleagues examined risky sex outcomes as a function of objective athletic status as well as “jock” identity, and results revealed a positive association between greater identification as a jock and sexual risk-taking be- haviors, although objective athletic participation was asso- ciated with lower levels of risky sex. Additionally, Savage and Holcomb (1999) investigated sexual risk-taking behav- iors in high school female athletes compared with female nonathletes. Results indicated lower levels of most measures