Although investigations of the physiological effects of oral contraceptives suggest that affective changes may accompany their use, empirical documentation of these effects has not been consistent. This study examined physiological and affective changes accompanying use of a low-dosage oral contraceptive while controlling for possible expectancy effects in 30 female college students, 12 of whom were requesting oral contraceptives for the first time and 18 of whom had been using oral contraceptives for at least 6 months. Prior to contraceptive use, new users completed the Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Life Experiences Survey, Wahler Physical Symptom Checklist, and an expectancy questionnaire assessing positive and negative affective and physical changes due to oral contraceptive use. They completed the same questionnaires 1 and 3 months after onset of oral contraceptive use. Continuing users completed the questionnaires at the time of recruitment and at 1- and 3-month intervals. Results revealed no group differences on any measure at baseline, 1-month, or 3-month follow-up, nor was there a significant group by time interaction. Positive and negative expectancy scores did not correlate significantly with individual changes on any of the measures. The findings suggest that, in this population, no evident affective or physical changes occurred with the oral contraceptive used in the study. (NB)