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Background: The present study proposed a moderated mediation model of relations among negative urgency, sensation seeking, alcohol use, self-esteem, and casual sexual behavior among college students. We hypothesized students' alcohol use would mediate a positive relation between two facets of impulsivity, negative urgency and sensation seeking, with casual sexual behavior. We also examined the influence of self-esteem on alcohol use and casual sexual behavior to determine if self-esteem may serve as a point of intervention. We hypothesized that self-esteem might moderate the relation between casual sexual behavior and alcohol use, such that students who report high alcohol use in addition to low self-esteem would engage in more casual sexual behavior than individuals who report relatively higher levels of self-esteem. Methods: Data were collected in 2015 from 413 undergraduate students at a large Northeastern public university. Structural equation modeling tested the moderated mediation model. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, the theorized model demonstrated an inadequate fit to the data when self-esteem was included. A second structural model was calculated to test alcohol use as a mediator of associations between negative urgency and sensation seeking, and casual sexual behavior. As hypothesized, students' alcohol use was found to be a mediator of the positive associations between negative urgency and casual sexual behavior and sensation seeking and casual sexual behavior. Conclusions: Findings suggest that alcohol use, negative urgency, and sensation seeking may serve as points of intervention to address casual sexual behavior, as appropriate, among college student populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have examined the theorized predictors of exercise addiction. Furthermore, research on exercise addiction has paid little to no attention to an individual’s social and cultural context. Using objectification theory, the present study examined (a) body shame as a positive predictor of exercise addiction, (b) self-esteem as a negative predictor of exercise addiction, and (c) self-esteem as a mediator of the positive relation between body shame and exercise addiction among college student women. Method: Participants were 322 undergraduate women at a large university in the Northeast. Results: Results corroborate body shame as a significant positive predictor of exercise addiction; however, contrary to hypotheses, self-esteem emerged as a positive predictor of exercise addiction when controlling for body shame. Finally, the test of the mediation model revealed self-esteem was partially mediating the relation between body shame and exercise addiction, indicating competitive mediation. Conclusions: Results shed light on the potential predictors of exercise addiction, extend objectification theory in relation to exercise addiction, and provide a sociocultural context for understanding the exercise addiction among young adult women. Further, new directions for targeted treatments aimed at reducing body shame are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]