Parents' Divorce is More Strongly Related to the Self-Perceived Promiscuity and Drinking Behavior of Male than of Female College Students

A study of 357 students (112 males, 245 females) responding to an online survey at a Midwestern liberal arts college revealed that males and children from divorced families perceived themselves as more promiscuous and drank more than did students from intact families. However, a significant interaction between the gender of the students and the parents' marital status revealed that this effect was due almost entirely to the responses of the males from divorced families being so much higher than any of the other groups. There were no significant differences in the frequency of reported actual sexual activity. The results are discussed in light of the importance of identifying the factors that place college students at risk for reckless drinking and sexual behavior.