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Background: Executive functioning (EF) describes a set of neurocognitive processes critical to enacting complex health behaviors. However, theoretical frameworks for understanding sexual risk behavior have generally neglected neurocognitive constructs, and beyond a few studies of individuals selected for high substance use, the literature contains virtually no research on this topic with other adults at risk for HIV infection, such as men who have sex with men (MSM).Purpose: This study tested whether EF was associated with condomless anal intercourse (CAI) among MSM.Methods: Seventy MSM completed cognitive tests assessing EF at two time points-baseline, and approximately 30 min later after engaging in a stressful interpersonal task. Men also reported their sexual behaviors over the past 3 months, including the frequency of CAI.Results: Baseline EF was unrelated to CAI. However, CAI was associated with the degree to which performance improved from baseline to post-stressor administration. Compared with norms for practice effects, men who reported CAI improved less than expected from baseline to post-stressor EF performance, whereas men who reported no CAI exhibited a more normative practice effect.Conclusions: MSM with histories of greater sexual risk improved less than anticipated from baseline to post-stressor on tests of EF, suggesting that they might be more cognitively depleted by the stressful interpersonal task they engaged in between administrations. It is possible that certain individuals struggle to maintain executive control in stressful interpersonal situations, a finding that could contribute to the difficulty some individuals face executing precautionary behaviors during a sexual encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress associated with concealing sexual orientation is a possible mechanism for health disparities among lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) individuals. However, disclosing one's sexual orientation might not be uniformly healthy across social contexts. Purpose: The present study tested whether being out is less healthy for gay and bisexual men of lower socioeconomic status (SES) relative to higher SES men. Methods: Using longitudinal data on gay and bisexual men ( N = 564, ages 18-72), we examined whether the association between outness and physical health differs by SES. Results: SES significantly moderated associations between outness and physician visits, nonprescription medication use, and physical symptoms. Outness predicted physical health benefits for higher SES men but health problems for lower SES men. Conclusions: The common assumption that disclosing one's sexual orientation is uniformly healthy may be less accurate (or inaccurate) for lower status groups. Future research should explore SES as context for minority stress and LGB health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]