(PS3-59) Experience Seeking and Risky Sexual Behavior among Adolescents: The Moderating Effect of Lack of Premeditation

Abstract Text: Risky sexual behavior (RSB) among adolescents remains a critical public health concern, increasing the likelihood of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. Given the heightened risk of adverse health outcomes, it is crucial to conduct research aimed at better understanding predictors of RSB in adolescents. Prior research has demonstrated a link between sensation seeking, impulsivity, and RSB. However, research has neglected to explore the moderating effects of impulsivity facets on the relation between sensation seeking and RSB. The present study investigated whether the relation between Experience Seeking and RSB varies depending on levels of Lack of Premeditation. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study assessing engagement in health-risk behaviors from adolescents in an inpatient behavioral health hospital. Adolescents (N = 230) completed the following measures: Sensation Seeking Personality Type Scale (SSPT), UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale Short Form (SUPPS-P), and Risky Behavior Inventory - Sexual Behavior (RBI Sexual Behavior). Given the presence of count data with excess zeros and overdispersion, zero-inflated negative binomial regression was conducted. The count model revealed that the main effects of Experience Seeking and Lack of Premeditation were significant, such that Experience Seeking was negatively associated with RSB (b = -0.02, SE = 0.01, p = .03), and Lack of Premeditation was positively associated with RSB (b = 0.07, SE = 0.02, p = .003). The interaction between Experience Seeking and Lack of Premeditation was also significant (b = 0.01, SE = 0.004, p = .003). In the zero-inflation model, Lack of Premeditation was negatively associated with the excess-zero group (b = -0.24, SE = 0.07, p < .001), suggesting that individuals with higher Lack of Premeditation were more likely to engage in some level of RSB. A simple slopes analysis was conducted to probe the interaction, and the Johnson-Neyman technique was used to further identify specific values at which the moderation effect was significant. Analyses revealed that when Lack of Premeditation was low (below −1.82 SD; 21.74% of cases), Experience Seeking predicted a reduction in RSB (p < .05). However, when Lack of Premeditation was very high (above 5.25 SD; 3.48% of cases), the effect of Experience Seeking on RSB reversed, such that Experience Seeking predicted an increase in RSB (p < .05). These findings suggest that adolescents with high Experience Seeking are at increased risk for RSB if Lack of Premeditation is also high; therefore, interventions targeting impulsive behaviors may be particularly helpful in reducing adolescent engagement in high-risk sexual behaviors, and in turn, lower the risk of STIs, unintended pregnancies, and other adverse health outcomes.