Critical Analysis

Critical Essay Analysis:
A Qualitative Study of the Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Risky Sex in Adolescents
Justin Liauw
2012

Coleman, L.M. & Cater, S.M. (2005). A Qualitative Study of the Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Risky Sex in Adolescents. Archives of Sexual Behaviour. 34 (6). 649-66. DOI: 10.1007/s10508-005-7917-6.
This is an essay analysing the study topic purpose on the relationship between alcohol consumption and risky sex in adolescents. From this very topic, there are a list of explanations in the topic in what are the reasons and factors that lead to these adolescents to be influenced to consume on alcoholic beverages, the research question is seemingly clear featured with. I find this topic seemingly interesting as for me to find out if this research question is true, looking on what effects and motives that lead them to be influenced to drink alcohol, also looking at the findings if alcohol is the full reason to these adolescents being involved into the sex act or is it their social status or pressures that leads them to consume alcohol. Another purpose of this topic is also to help influence the mind of other adolescents to prevent themselves from going through this process and to make them aware of the health consequences and any feeling of regret if they are to engage on sexual actions through drinking alcohol.
Reviewing on this particular topic, the research had shown how alcohol consumption over a single session can affect and increase a high chance of a risky sex in the young people, this risky sex can occur during a sexual intercourse without a proper use of birth control items, this analysis would seek out the relevance of how alcohol consumption may influence the adolescences in practicing unsafe sexual intercourse or other factors that may not involve alcohol to do these sexual acts. The ‘continuum of influence’ in this research review is one of the main purpose on the risky sex through alcohol, the five explanations within this continuum to determine and deduce each problem follows as such: how alcohol is affecting young people’s assessment of another same young person’s sexual attractiveness, how alcohol used as an “excuse” to ignite a socially unacceptable behaviour which a proposed behaviour was originally intended, how alcohol can increase confidence in young adults and lowering the restrain of one’s behaviour, alcohol in making one give impaired judgement in accurately recognizing and controlling a potentially risky situation and complete loss of control and memory from excessive alcohol.
The procedures of the research used in-depth interviews which took about 45 minutes to 64 adolescents aged between 14 to 17 years. All participants were from southern England and vast majority was of White ethnic background, 61 % of the participants were aged 16 or above, 14 % living in rural areas while the vast majority in the urban areas, participants were recruited from a range of secondary schools, colleges, youth clubs, Youth Offending Teams and Connecxions services which are advice centres to supports adolescents on health, housing, careers and employment. Another method used is short screening questionnaires which takes 5 minute short consisting of 10 closed questions regarding the young people’s use of alcohol, this seems to work fine with each questions and time testing may help to further diagnose the participating young adults to help in their health and mental state, these questions are asked in formal areas such as schools and colleges, to those who volunteered would be asked for their contact details but details and answers are kept confidentially, they are those who uses the “direct” approach of interview. The short screening questionnaire seems to work fine with each questions and time testing may help to further diagnose the participating young adults to help in their health and mental state, the more ‘direct’ questionnaire involving stating of confidential answers may receive more detailed answers, the answers are to be assured by gate-keepers, examples are teachers who will follow through ethical guidelines before the interview is proceeded. From the data analysis, the results from the interview obtained on a transcript and list of emerging themes and the relationships on each other to be group to form a new theme, each theme are assigned by a code, this was an essential part of the process and referenced to a particular theme, certain emerging themes was then compared to those generated through remaining transcripts to produce the many themes that emerged through the process and for it to further reflect and learn further on the relationship of the topic. The participants were selected to their eligibility criteria which are young adults ageing from 14 to 17 and had some previous experience of an excessive single drinking session, being “very drunk” at a point.
The data collection show significant result of the topic where data are collected from interviews, short screening questionnaire collected with tape-recorded data from the interviewees. Some participants have reported an experience of risky sexual behaviour that had followed a full single session of heavy alcohol consumption that caused them to be “very drunk” although the motives still need to be emphasized. Sudden risky and more positive experiences where alcohol was reported as having a beneficial effect prior to sex, they would be engaged in a sudden sexual interaction with a new partner, involving act such as kissing other sexual activity than sexual intercourse, this refers as ‘pulling’, consequences involves having regret on the ‘pulling’ act after the drink session as well as sexual intercourse being regretted, majority of the increase in the impact is faced by young woman.
Some of the sampling tells on the participants’ previous experience of a heavy single-session drinking thus becoming drunk, information would be asked on some of the experienced participants would had when they are drunk, how does the direct sex activity would occur? Some event that occur from this phenomenon was explored from an event-specific perspective which relates on specific event of risky sexual behaviour to find what reason does alcohol would help to amplify the stimuli of the adolescence to be able to engage in this sudden sex activity. Thus, another question to ask is regarding towards their sexual experience where this is to determine if the participant may have regret on what they do and how their drunkenness had great effect on the sexual experience. Referring to the five reasons to the “continuum of influence” to explain in the effects of alcohol consumption, they drink alcohol to increases their level of attraction to other sexual partners. The second explanation involved the use of drinking alcohol as an “excuse” used to explain the sexual behaviour to protect one’s reputation and avoid embarrassment. The third reasons involves lowering of inhibitions, similar to the alcohol as an “excuse” behaviour except to focus on defending on one’s social status and build up confidence. The fourth and one of the important explanation is involving Impaired Judgement, symptoms found in uneasily controlling a potentially risky situation. Last and also one of the significant explanations is the complete loss of memory, complete blackout and loss of control.
Looking into the criteria of trustworthiness, certain sources are credible, some had used sufficient research methods and questionnaire usage, and one fact on how alcohol was the main reason for sudden sexual intercourse with no contraception can be debateable, but only little can be concluded about how alcohol contributed to this outcome. The qualitative research had showed some conformability on illustrating when alcohol have and doesn’t, criteria in the transferability of the research and information is weakened. One of their research techniques in my opinion may not be ethical, this is regarding the use of the ‘direct’ type interview which involves the collection of the volunteers’ contact details, it is unknown to why and what purpose are the contact details for.
The findings of this research has shown some information about how many of the results the participants in the alcohol drinking which lead them to unsafe sex, about two-thirds of the overall sample (39/64 = 60.9%) reported an experience of risky sexual behaviour that had followed a full single session of heavy alcohol. Around 40% of the overall participants (26/64 = 40%) recalled both risky and more positive experiences where alcohol was reported as having a beneficial effect prior to sex. 82 % shows most participants (32/39 = 82%) involve the ‘pulling’ act, about 13% (5/39 = 13%) regret on the ‘pulling’ act and last and more serious involves 54 % of young people (21/39 = 54%) done sexual intercourse that they regretted after caused by a drinking session. Statistic shown on the reasons to the “continuum of influence” in the perception of a person’s attractiveness, 36% (14/39 = 36%) says that after drinking alcohol it increases their level of attraction to other sexual partners, those who had affected would have a minimal level of intoxication, in drinking as an “excuse”, 64% (25/39 = 64%) aims to behaviour to protect one’s reputation and avoid embarrassment by drinking. Those who drink to lower inhibitions, sees 78% (50/64 = 78%) agreeing to this.62% (24/39 = 62%) of participants sees Impaired Judgement to be experienced before. Complete loss of control, memory loss and had 26% (10/39 = 26 %), some finding in this study found inconsistency in their findings, numerous studies in contrast to the global correlation studies, failed to find an association between alcohol use and risky sex.
As a conclusion, this qualitative study has shown the significant relationship the risk of sudden sex of adolescents with the consumption of excessive alcohol, results also show no age difference and social classes, the survey and interviews held for these random adolescents participating sees slight majority of young women reported would be more effected than men with, young women are more likely to face regret on their first ever experiences of sexual intercourse from drinking

Also this study helps to benefit those young people who had experience with this and would for them to learn about the disadvantage of doing so. These young adults should understand the consequences if one has to continue to partake in the frequent consumption of alcohol, with the study of the topic is understandable, adolescents can now evade themselves from the dangers of the “continuum of influence” of the relationship on alcohol consumption and that cause to uncontrolled risky sex. This also gives advantage to the adolescents when they do not follow the habit anymore and improve on their health, avoiding them from abortion and STD. Thus facing with alcohol is just another boundary for them to decide if they want to follow a healthy and smart lifestyle or to continue to be stuck in this “continuum of influence.”
Word Count: 1730 Words