This study evaluated the relationship between
condom-related protective behavioral strategies (PBS; including those that require active behavior and mental planning) and
condom use at both global and event levels. College students (N = 623; 57.8% female) completed self-report measures of
condom-related PBS, as well as drinking and sexual behavior. Logistic regression findings indicated that students who reported greater use of
condom-related PBS were more likely to discuss their and their partner's HIV status,
sexually transmitted infection (
STI) history (other than HIV), and protection against
STIs (such as HIV and other
STIs) the first time they had sex with their most recent vaginal sexual partner. Logistic regression findings also indicated that more frequent use of
condom-related PBS was associated with being more likely to use a
condom during the most recent vaginal sexual experience. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression results showed that
condom-related PBS predicted
condom non-users and that
condom-related PBS were associated with increased use of
condoms during sexual behavior in the previous three months. These results extend prior research by demonstrating that both active and mental planning
condom-related PBS are associated with
condom use at both the global and event levels, which suggests that
condom-related PBS may be useful to incorporate in interventions targeting risky sexual behavior among young adults.