(PS8-79) Difficulty Regulating Positive Emotions Moderates the Relationship Between Aggressive Alcohol-related Expectancies and Sexual Coercion Perpetration Among Young Adults

Sexual coercion is a prevalent form of sexual assault in which an individual is pressured into unwanted sexual experiences through verbal, physical, or substance-related tactics (Schatzel-Murphy et al., 2009). Alcohol use is a salient risk factor for sexual coercion (Palmer et al., 2010; Struckman-Johnson et al., 2003). The contribution of drinking to sexual assault may be partially explained by expectancies of aggression (e.g., “I become hostile”), vulnerability to sexual coercion (e.g., “I am more sexually vulnerable”), sexual affect (e.g., “I am sensual”), and sexual drive (e.g., “I have a strong sex drive”) when drinking (Abbey et al., 1999). Alcohol-related expectancies regarding sexual enhancement and aggression relate to sexual coercion perpetration across gender (Palmer et al., 2010). Factors that exacerbate this association, however, are less understood. As difficulties regulating positive emotions have previously been associated with alcohol misuse and risky sexual behaviors (Weiss et al., 2018; 2019), we examined the moderating role of difficulties regulating positive emotions on the relationship between forms of alcohol-related expectancies and sexual coercion perpetration in young adults. 

Young adults (N=1152, Mage = 18.76, 69.9% women, 29.5% men, .5% non-binary/gender expansive) completed an online survey containing measures of alcohol-related expectancies, sexual coercion perpetration, and difficulties regulating positive emotions. We examined the moderating effect of difficulties regulating positive emotions on the associations between forms of aggressive alcohol-related expectancies and sexual coercion perpetration.  

Vulnerability to sexual coercion alcohol-related expectancies positively related to sexual coercion perpetration (B=.18, p=.028). Difficulties regulating positive emotions moderated the association between aggressive alcohol-related expectancies and sexual coercion perpetration (B=.12, p<.001). Aggressive alcohol-related expectancies were negatively related to sexual coercion perpetration at low difficulties regulating positive emotions (B=-.34, p=.012) and positively related at medium (B=.42, p</span>< .001) and high (B=1.18, p< .001) levels of difficulties regulating positive emotions. No other interactions or main effects were statistically significant predictors of sexual coercion perpetration. 

These findings suggest that difficulties regulating positive emotions can exacerbate the association between aggressive alcohol-related expectancies and sexual coercion perpetration. Surprisingly, among those with low difficulties regulating positive emotions, the association between aggressive alcohol-related expectancies and sexual coercion perpetration was negative, suggesting that the ability to regulate positive emotions may protect against the effect of aggressive alcohol-related expectancies on sexual coercion perpetration. Sexual assault prevention programs might consider teaching skills for regulating positive emotions while implementing cognitive behavioral interventions that target alcohol-related expectancies, particularly those related to vulnerability to sexual coercion and aggression.