College Men Markedly Underestimate Peers' Use of Protective Behavioral Strategies for Sexual Aggression, Risky Sexual Behavior, and Heavy Episodic Drinking

Sexually aggressive behavior, risky-sexual behavior, and heavy episodic drinking are interrelated behavioral-health problems among college men. College men reporting these problems, relative to peers, report lower use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS), which are cognitive-behavioral, harm-reduction strategies. College men exhibiting heavy drinking also underperceive peers' PBS usage within this domain, and these misperceptions are common prevention targets. The current work investigates whether college men underperceive their peers' PBS usage within all three domains and whether college men reporting problems show greater underperceptions. College men (n = 1121) completed PBS measures from “self” and “typical college male” perspectives, as well as problem measures in the three domains. College men substantially underperceived their peers' PBS engagement, and men reporting problems displayed somewhat greater domain-specific underperceptions, suggesting a possible cognitive mechanism influencing these problems. These findings support the investigation of simultaneous personalized normative feedback for PBS usage across the three domains.