Search

Research has consistently shown that motives for security (i.e., prevention focus) or pleasure (i.e., promotion focus) determine risk perception and behaviors in several domains, including sexual health. We tested if being more focused on prevention or promotion was associated with condom use attitudes and if the perceived risk of HIV infection explained these associations. Participants (N = 405, 61.7% women; M.sub.age = 23.10, SD = 5.06) took part in an online cross-sectional study. We found positive associations between both regulatory foci and condom use attitudes. Mediation analyses further showed that participants who were more focused on prevention perceived condoms as more reliable, attributed less stigma to condom use, and were less embarrassed about condom use negotiation. These associations were explained by the perception of less risk of HIV infection. Results also revealed a few associations with personality traits and moderations by age and gender. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual motives to gain an understanding of how the perceived risk of infection can shape sexual health decision-making., Author(s): David L. Rodrigues [sup.1] , Diniz Lopes [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.45349.3f, 0000 0001 2220 8863, Iscte-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, , CIS-Iscte. Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026, Lisboa, Portugal [...]

Although various studies have examined the association between risky sexual behaviors and mental health outcomes, few studies have investigated the association between risky sexual behaviors and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between risky sexual behaviors and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents from the United States. Data for this study came from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. An analytic sample of 5,125 adolescents aged 14-18 years (50.1% female) who have ever had sexual intercourse was analyzed using binary logistic regression. The outcome variables examined were suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, and the main explanatory variable was risky sexual behaviors. Among the 5,125 adolescents who have ever had sexual intercourse, 22.8% experienced suicidal ideation, and 11.6% attempted suicide during the past 12 months. In the multivariable logistic regression, adolescents who had unprotected sexual intercourse had 1.24 times higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation (AOR = 1.24, p < .05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.54). In addition, adolescents who had four or more sexual partners in their lifetime had 1.61 times higher odds of making a suicide attempt (AOR = 1.61, p < .001, 95% CI = 1.25-2.07). Other significant factors associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts include being a sexual minority, being a victim of sexual violence, experiencing school bullying and cyberbullying victimization, having symptoms of depression, and misusing prescription pain medication. The findings of the present study highlight the association between risky sexual behaviors and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents., Author(s): Philip Baiden [sup.1] , Nusrat Jahan [sup.2] , Vera Etornam Mets [sup.3] , Yvonne Adeku [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.267315.4, 0000 0001 2181 9515, School of Social Work, The [...]

Personality traits, automatic thoughts and affective states play a major role on female sexual functioning. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the moderator role of personality traits on the relationship between automatic thoughts and affective states, and sexual functioning, in lesbian and heterosexual women. The current study aimed to test the moderator role of personality traits (e.g. neuroticism) on the relationship between automatic thoughts and affective states during sexual activity, and sexual functioning in a sample of lesbian and heterosexual women. Nine-hundred and forty-one women (697 heterosexual women; 244 lesbian women) completed an online survey about cognitive factors and sexual functioning. Participants completed the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Automatic Thoughts Scale from the Sexual Modes Questionnaire, the Positive Affect - Negative Affect Scale, and the Female Sexual Functioning Index. Main findings suggested neuroticism, sexual abuse thoughts, failure and disengagement thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts, and positive and negative affective states as significant predictors of female sexual functioning, regardless of sexual orientation. Moreover, women with higher levels of sexual abuse thoughts and higher absence of erotic thoughts, or lower levels of positive affective states, when presented higher levels of neuroticism, also reported a decrease in their sexual functioning, regardless of sexual orientation. Overall, neuroticism acts as moderator on the relationship between sexual abuse thoughts, lack of erotic thoughts and positive affective states, and sexual functioning, regardless of sexual orientation. Implications for improve sex therapy outcomes are discussed., Author(s): Maria Manuela Peixoto [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.10210.32, 0000 0000 9215 0321, Centro de Investigação em Psicologia para o Desenvolvimento Positivo, Instituto de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação, Universidade [...]

Research on delay discounting and sex suggests that discounting measures correlate to risky sexual behavior. Dating applications are a growing trend in sexual partner seeking and dating culture, but the relationship between dating applications, delay discounting, and risky sexual behavior is relatively unknown. The present study sought to examine the relationship among reported dating application use, delay discounting, and risky sexual behavior. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire that included sexual history and dating-app status, a sexual risk survey, and a delay discounting task involving minutes of hypothetical sexual activity. Sexual discounting was significantly correlated with measures of sexual risk. The strength in correlation was higher for those using dating applications and nonexistent in those not using dating applications. No significant deferences existed between dating application users and abstainers for sexual risk or sexual discounting. The implications regarding safe sex practices are discussed. Keywords Delay discounting * Sexual discounting * Behavioral economics * Online dating * Risky sexual behavior, Reinforcement pathology attempts to understand suboptimal choice in domains of health (Bickel et al., 2017; Jarmolowicz et al., 2016) and suggests that there is dysregulation for some individuals in the [...]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of single young adults' mating motives on their mating standards and the mechanisms that underlie this relationship within the context of gender imbalance in China. Accordingly, a sample of 505 single young adults responded to the Questionnaire of Contemporary Chinese People's Mating Preference and Risk Preference Questionnaire. The results revealed that among single young adults who perceived a gender imbalance, mating motives had a significant and negative effect on mating standards. Risk preference partially mediated the relationship between mating motives and standards among single young adults who perceived a gender imbalance. The mediating effect of risk preference on the relationship between mating motives and standards was moderated by age. Specifically as age increased, the mediating effect of risk preference weakened. It was concluded that age moderated the mediating effect of risk preference on the relationship between mating motives and standards among single young adults who perceived a gender imbalance., Author(s): Yanli Zhu [sup.1] , Chenbin Yi [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.207374.5, 0000 0001 2189 3846, Zhengzhou University, , Zhengzhou, Henan, China (2) grid.207374.5, 0000 0001 2189 3846, School of [...]

South Africa remains a country with one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS at 18 % among 15-49 year olds. Underdeveloped urban areas, or townships, are particularly hard hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Alcohol use in these townships has been established as an important risk factor for HIV transmission. Likewise, alcohol serving venues (shebeens) have been identified as sites where substance abuse and sexual risk taking occur. However, little is known about how proximity of alcohol serving establishments (shebeens) to one's residence may be related to sexual risk-taking We surveyed 3,261 men and women attending shebeens in a township located in Cape Town, South Africa. We investigated the relationships between attending nearby (15 min walk) shebeens, and sex and substance abuse related risk-taking. Women who attended distant shebeens versus nearby shebeens relative to their residence were approximately twice as likely to report HIV positive status. Bivariate analyses demonstrated that these women were also more likely to report other sexually transmitted infections, greater numbers of sex partners, higher rates of alcohol and drug use, and seeking out new sex partners at shebeen. No differences in sex behavior, substance use or HIV/STI were identified among men. Proximity of shebeens appears to be an important contextual factor in explaining HIV/STI transmission risk-taking. Future studies should focus on how anonymity may be related to sexual risk and substance use behaviors among women in South African townships. Keywords South Africa * Alcohol * Sexual risk behavior * HIV/STI * Shebeens, Introduction Sub-Saharan Africa is far and above the most affected region in the world by the HIV/AIDS epidemic; 10 % of the world's population lives in this region, yet 68 [...]

A theory of gender development is presented that incorporates early biological factors that organize predispositions in temperament and attitudes. With activation of these factors a person interacts in society and comes to identify as male or female. The predispositions establish preferences and aversions the growing child compares with those of others. All individuals compare themselves with others deciding who they are like (same) and with whom are they different. These experiences and interpretations can then be said to determine how one comes to identify as male or female, man or woman. In retrospect, one can say the person has a gendered brain since it is the brain that structures the individual's basic personality; first with inherent tendencies then with interactions coming from experience. Keywords Psychosexual development * Gender development * Genetic-endocrine interactions * Gender comparisons * Role models * Prenatal influences * Organizing factor * Activating factors * Gender identity * Sexual identity * Masculinity * Male * Femininity * Female

A sample of 274 African American families, living in impoverished neighborhoods with high HIV rates, participated in a longitudinal study of adolescent sexual development when children were in the 4th or 5th grade. Self-report and observational measures of parental warmth and parental behavioral control were collected from adolescents and parents at Time 1, and youth reported if they had initiated intercourse at Times 1 and 2. Regression analyses suggested that gender moderated associations between parental behavioral control and engagement in adolescent sexual behaviors. More generally, findings suggested that boys reared in low control/high warmth (i.e., permissive) homes and girls reared in high control/low warmth (i.e., authoritarian) homes were particularly at risk for early sexual behaviors. Clinical implications and directions for the future research are discussed. Keywords African American adolescents * Sexual behaviors * Parenting

As the twenty-first century begins, a high level of participation in premarital sexual intercourse by college women is well-documented. But, in the research exploring risk-reduction sexual behaviors, the relationship of cognitive abilities to responsible sexual behavior has been under-researched. Anonymous questionnaires were administered to 626 never-married, heterosexual women at a mid-western university to examine personal goal-setting, a cognitive variable postulated to be related to risk-reduction sexual behavior. Women who frequently set goals were more religious, optimistic about life, conservative in sexual attitudes, comfortable with their sexuality, and more psychologically sexually satisfied. Those who less often set goals were more likely to drink alcohol prior to sexual intercourse, become more intoxicated, and less likely to ask if new sex partners had STI(s). The cognitive variable, goal-setting, did differentiate college women who made responsible sexual decisions from those who engaged in risk-taking sexual behaviors. KEYWORDS: personal goals; risk-reduction sexual behaviors; religiosity and sexual satisfaction.

Despite numerous studies that measure self-reported condom use, there is currently no agreed upon 'gold standard' in terms of the best way to assess condom use. The purpose of the current study was to review measures of self-reported condom use within correlational studies of sexual risk behavior, and to evaluate such measures on the basis of suggestions from the methodological literature. An additional purpose was to examine specifically whether measures published in the correlational literature have improved over time. A systematic review of studies was undertaken and specific review criteria were used to guide the inclusion of studies. A final set of 56 studies that contained 72 measures of self-reported condom use were included in the review. These measures were coded and evaluated on 12 dimensions, including measure type, number of response categories, recall period, sex partner specificity, and sex act specificity. Results indicated a great amount of diversity in terms of how condom use has been measured in the literature. Although results indicated that measures published between 1996 and 2003 were of higher quality on a number of dimensions as compared to 1989-1995, a number of these gains were minimal and in some cases measures have decreased in quality. The overall conclusion is that the sexual risk behavior literature should implement more of the recommendations made by methodological scholars in this area. Specific recommendations are summarized and presented in a way that may be helpful in guiding the development of future measures of self-reported condom use. KEY WORDS: condom use; safer sex; measurement; methodology; HIV prevention.

Individuals do not often label incidents of forced intercourse as rape. We theorize that one reason this occurs is because incidents do not match individuals' rape script; instead, these incidents may be more consistent with their normative sexual scripts, such as seduction. We conducted an experimental test of this theory by priming consensual and nonconsensual sexual scripts and examining the impact of the priming on reactions to an ambiguous sexual scenario among a sample of college women (n = 210). The priming manipulation affected global ratings of the scenario as well as ratings of the motives of the characters in the scenario. We discuss implications of the results for future research on how individuals conceptualize incidents of forced sex, as well as their implications for rape prevention and outreach. Keywords Rape * Scripts * Priming * Schemas

Body image and sexuality, both physically-oriented domains of the self, are likely linked, but few studies have examined their associations. In the present investigation, we studied emerging adult undergraduates (ages 17-19), focusing specifically on risky sexual behaviors and attitudes. Participants (N = 434) completed a survey on body image, lifetime sexual behavior, sexual double standard attitudes, and attitudes about condoms. Males who evaluated their appearance more positively and who were more oriented toward their appearance were more likely to report risky sexual behavior, yet females who evaluated their appearance more positively were less likely to report risky sexual behavior. For most sexual attitudes, patterns did not differ by gender. Individuals who were more oriented toward their appearance believed more in the sexual double standard, and those who had more positive evaluations of their appearance perceived fewer barriers to using condoms. Intervention implications are discussed. KEY WORDS: body image; risky sexual behavior; risky sexual attitudes.

The cognitive processing of sexual and non-sexual pictorial stimuli was examined to see whether picture rating and recognition tasks have potential utility as a means of assessing levels of sexual desire. Previous research has revealed slower responding to sexual compared to neutral semantic cues in persons with lower self-reported sexual desire. The present study investigated whether sexual pictorial cues evoked a similarly slower responding in people reporting low sexual desire compared to other individuals. A total of 136 participants completed two self-report measures of sexual desire (the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Desire and the Sexual Desire Inventory) before carrying out tasks involving affective ratings and recognition memory for pictorial stimuli. Participants were classified into relatively low, average, and higher groups on the basis of their scores on the desire measures. The stimuli were selected from the International Affective Picture System, and the tasks included (1) rating the valence, arousal, and sense of dominance or control for each picture, (2) recognition of previously seen images, and (3) a second rating of pictures viewed earlier. Level of sexual desire did not influence responding in the male participants. Female participants with lower sexual desire rated sexual images less pleasant and less arousing than the other participants, and completed picture recognition tasks more quickly. Sexual desire levels significantly influenced the interest ratings women gave to sexual pictures. We also found sexual content induced delays. These delays were not significantly different among desire groups. The variation in responding linked to levels of sexual desire in women suggests that more investigation of this methodology in a clinically diagnosed population might contribute to an understanding of low desire, and help design interventions addressing distress due to lack of sexual desire. KEYWORDS: sex; information processing; sexual desire; sexual content induced delay.

Subjective sexual well-being refers to the cognitive and emotional evaluation of an individual's sexuality. This study examined subjective sexual well-being, explored its various aspects, examined predictors across different cultures, and investigated its possible associations with overall happiness and selected correlates, including sexual dysfunction. Data were drawn from the Global Study of Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors, a survey of 27,500 men and women aged 40-80 years in 29 countries. The cross-national variation of four aspects of sexual well-being (the emotional and physical satisfaction of sexual relationships, satisfaction with sexual health or function, and the importance of sex in one's life) was explored using cluster analysis, and relationships among sexual well-being, general happiness, and various correlates were examined using ordinary least squares regression and ordered logistic regression. Results from the cluster analysis identified three clusters: a gender-equal regime and two male-centered regimes. Despite this cultural variation, the predictors of subjective sexual well-being were found to be largely consistent across world regions. KEY WORDS: subjective well-being; sexual function; happiness; gender roles; cross-national.

We explored whether exposure to nonverbal behaviors that mirror those used by men with sexual harassment proclivity (i.e., high dominance and/or high sociosexual nonverbal behaviors) leads women to perceive those men as potential sexual harassers and lowers women's actual performance on the job. In our first experiment, women's performance was negatively affected when they interacted with a task administrator enacting dominant nonverbal behaviors. The women also perceived the dominant task administrator as more sexual. In our second experiment, viewers rated the task administrator enacting dominant nonverbal behaviors as more likely than the less dominant task administrator to show gender-based attention, social attention, and sexually harassing behaviors. Taken together, our findings suggest an association between perceptions of dominance and sexuality. KEY WORDS: sexual harassment; dominance; nonverbal behavior.

The present study examined the link between sexual orientation and adjustment in a community sample of 97 sexual minority (gay male, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning) high school students, taking into account their experiences of peer victimization and social support within peer and family contexts. Adolescents were identified in a large-scale survey study conducted at 5 high schools. They were matched to a comparison sample of their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority adolescents reported more externalizing behaviors and depression symptoms than heterosexual youth. Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority youth reported more sexual harassment, more bullying, less closeness with their mothers, and less companionship with their best friends. There were no significant differences between gay male, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning adolescents. Overall, both victimization and social support mediated the link between sexual orientation and psychosocial symptoms. Among sexual minority youth, the link between social support and externalizing was mediated by experiences of peer victimization. These findings highlight the contextual risk and protective factors associated with non-heterosexual sexual orientation in accounting for the emotional and behavioral problems in this population. KEY WORDS: sexual orientation; adolescence; adjustment.

The relationship between reproductive maturation and the onset of sexual behavior in boys across cultures is unclear. To explore the relative timing of pubertal events and their relationship to the onset of sexual behavior, we used data collected from 442 Zimbabwe school boys aged 12-18 years. Measures of reproductive maturation included self-reported spontaneous nocturnal emission, secondary sexual characteristics, and salivary testosterone. Behavioral measures included age at first sexual fantasies, non-coital sexual behavior, and coitus. Sigmoid interpolation curve techniques indicated a median age of first erection at 10.75 [+ or -] 0.11 years, first sexual fantasy at 12.66 [+ or -] 0.03 years, first spontaneous nocturnal emission at 13.02 [+ or -] 0.03 years, and adult levels of blood testosterone at 17.2 [+ or -] 0.7 years. First reported spontaneous nocturnal emission was significantly related to all measures of sexual behavior. Multiple regression models indicated that first reported spontaneous nocturnal emission was a stronger predictor of sexual behavior than variation in secondary sexual characteristics. In addition, testosterone was a significant predictor of sexual fantasies and intercourse, independent of first reported spontaneous nocturnal emission. These results confirm earlier findings in other populations that self-reported spontaneous nocturnal emissions can be used as a marker of pubertal timing among adolescent boys. They also suggest that variation in testosterone plays a role in the onset of sexual behavior among boys, beyond its relationship to developmental timing. The behavioral mechanisms represented by the significant effects of testosterone reported here remain to be investigated. KEY WORDS: puberty; testosterone; adolescence; sexual behavior; Africa.

This review article answers three questions relevant to the medical management and care of individuals born with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS), or a micropenis: (1) Do any of these individuals reassign themselves from their initial gender assignment? (2) Do more reassign than the ones who do not? (3) Is there evidence of gender dysphoria in those who do not self-initiate reassignment? Reviewed were all articles on CAIS, PAIS, and micropenis cited in K. J. Zucker (1999) plus articles published through 2004. There were no documented cases of gender change in individuals with CAIS (N = 156 females) or micropenis (N = 89: 79 males, 10 females). Nine (9.1%) out of 99 individuals with PAIS changed gender. Thus, self-initiated gender reassignment was rare. Gender dysphoria also appears to be a rare occurrence. The best predictor of adult gender identity in CAIS, PAIS, and micropenis is initial gender assignment. KEY WORDS: complete androgen insensitivity syndrome; partial androgen insensitivity syndrome; androgen resistance syndromes; micropenis; gender identity; gender dysphoria.

To assess changes in sexual behavior, sexual attitudes, and sexual risk related to HIV, we conducted mailed questionnaire surveys in random samples of the Swedish general population in 1989, 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2003 (total N = 13, 762). Each sample consisted of 4,000-6,000 subjects aged 16-44 years, stratified by age: 16-17, 18-19, 20-24, 25-34, and 35-44 years. The overall participation rate was 63.8% (for men, 55.9%; for women, 71.9%). The prevalence of three or more sexual partners and casual sexual contacts without the use of a condom was comparatively high for men, for persons aged 16-24 years, single persons with and without a regular partner, and persons living in towns and urban areas. The prevalence of multiple sexual partners and casual sexual contacts increased significantly over time. There was a significant decrease in the proportion of participants who agreed with the statement 'Sexual intercourse should only take place in a stable relationship.' Personal risk assessments related to HIV did not change significantly over time. The study shows that risky sexual behavior related to HIV/AIDS increased in the Swedish population between 1989 and 2003, and that attitudes concerning casual sexual relations became more permissive. KEY WORDS: sexual risk behavior, general population; HIV; AIDS; STI; Sweden.

This study compared sexual behavior of gay and bisexual men (N = 551) while at their primary residence to their behavior while vacationing at a gay resort community. Participants reported behavior for the days they spent in the resort and for their last 60 days in their home residences. Overall, 11 times more non-main partners were reported for unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) per day while in the resort as for the 'at home' period. Regression analysis identified negative attitudes toward condoms, less concern about AIDS, and daily number of non-main, male partners at home with whom UAI occurred as significant predictors of the daily number of non-main male partners with whom holidaymakers engaged in UAI while in the resort area. The results suggest that sexual risk taking by men who have sex with men (MSM) while on holiday may be elevated over that at home and that prevention efforts need to be promoted in gay resorts. Behavioral surveillance research would be helpful in better characterizing the current social contexts of sexual risk taking by MSM. Theory-based studies of the nature of risk-taking and sexual decision-making on 'gay holiday' could inform the development of empirically proven and conceptually grounded interventions. KEY WORDS: sexual risk; gay men; vacation; unprotected anal intercourse.

This study was designed to examine relations among agentic and communal personality traits, attitudes toward sex, and sexual experiences in a sample of 202 undergraduates. As predicted, acceptance of interpersonal violence, with particular reference to intimate and sexual relationships, was positively associated with unmitigated agency. Among male participants, willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations was positively associated with unmitigated agency and negatively associated with communion and unmitigated communion. Among female participants, agency was positively related to satisfaction with current sexual and romantic relationships. These results partially support Helgeson's (1994) theoretical model that links unmitigated agency to relational conflict and instability and links communion to emotional bonding and commitment. KEY WORDS: unmitigated agency; unmitigated communion; sexual relationships; personality.

This article reports findings from a study conducted among 212 private motorbike-taxi riders, locally called bodabodamen, from two study sites--a slum area and the urban center of Masaka town. Qualitative and quantitative methods were triangulated; a questionnaire, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, case studies, and interactive workshops were all used. There were high levels of awareness of HIV, much more than sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), because many participants had closely experienced HIV/AIDS. Knowledge about sexual health contained several misconceptions, misinformation, and myths rooted in both the historical and contemporary social cultural context. Due to high illiteracy levels, bodabodamen cannot access many standard health education materials issued by government and private health organizations through the print and electronic media, as well as those published in languages other than the local vernacular. These (and possibly other) disadvantaged groups remain at risk of HIV and STDs. Especial efforts need to be made to provide appropriate health education. KEY WORDS: sexuality information; risk perceptions; masculinity.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of alcohol, alcohol sex expectancies, and sexual sensation seeking on determinants of sexual health behavior according to the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model. The participants were 48 heterosexual young adult males who attended 2 laboratory sessions. During Session 1, participants completed a set of screening and individual differences measures, and during Session 2 they were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 beverage conditions: control, alcohol (0.65 g alcohol/kg body weight), or placebo. Following the experimental manipulation, all participants completed measures regarding attitudes toward condom use, intention to engage in risky sex, and condom use negotiation skills. The results showed that participants who consumed alcohol had poorer negotiation skills and greater intention to engage in risky sex compared to participants who did not drink alcohol. Although alcohol did not affect any dimension of attitude regarding condom use, attitude about condoms' effects on sex, as well as sexual sensation seeking, were correlated with both intention ratings and skills. Multiple regression models, including both attitudes and sensation seeking, showed that attitudes accounted for 20-25% of variance independent of beverage condition in predicting intention ratings and skills. The findings were consistent with past research showing that alcohol consumption can have detrimental effects on determinants of sexual health behavior and that individual differences factors can enhance the power of models like the IMB to predict such behavior. KEY WORDS: condom use; alcohol; risk behavior; men; attitudes.

This study investigated the attributional styles of men with and without sexual dysfunction for both positive and negative sexual and general events using a sex-specific version of the Attributional Style Questionnaire (Sex-ASQ), and ascertained the preliminary psychometric properties of the measure. The Sex-ASQ was created by embedding 8 hypothetical sexual events (4 positive, 4 negative) among the original 12 events in the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ; C. Peterson, A. Semmel, C. von Baeyer, L. Y. Abramson, G. I. Metalsky. & M. E. Seligman, 1982). The Sex-ASQ was completed by 21 men with a principal DSM-IV diagnosis of Male Erectile Disorder (MED) and 32 male control participants. The psychometrics of the Sex-ASQ were satisfactory, but with the positive sexual event scales found to be less stable and internally consistent than the negative sexual event scales. Reasons for modest reliability of the positive event scales are discussed in terms of the original ASQ. As expected, men with MED did not differ significantly from men without sexual dysfunction in their causal attributions for general events, indicating that both groups exhibited an optimistic attributional style in general. Also as predicted, men with MED made more internal and stable causal attributions for negative sexual events than men without sexual dysfunction, and also rated negative sexual events as more important. For positive sexual events, the 2 groups did not differ in attributional style, with both groups making more external/unstable/specific causal attributions than for positive general events. Differences between explanatory style for sexual versus nonsexual events found in both sexually functional and dysfunctional men lend support for explanatory style models that propose both cross-situational consistency and situational specificity. KEY WORDS: attributions; erectile disorder; Attributional Style Questionnaire; sexual dysfunction; cognitive appraisal.

We examined the association between lifetime depression history and sexual function in a community-based sample of midlife women. Specifically, 914 women aged 42-52 who were participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation completed a self-report assessment of their sexual behaviors, sexual desire, sexual arousal, and sexual satisfaction over the past 6 months. On the basis of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV, participants were categorized into 1 of 3 lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD) history groups: no MDD history, single episode MDD, and recurrent MDD. In line with previous reports, women with a history of recurrent MDD reported experiencing less frequent sexual arousal, less physical pleasure, and less emotional satisfaction within their current sexual relationships. Although the groups did not differ in their reported frequency of sexual desire or partnered sexual behaviors, lifetime depression history was associated with increased rates of self-stimulation (masturbation). Associations between lifetime depression history and lower levels of physical pleasure within partnered sexual relationships and higher rates of masturbation remained significant following control for current depressive symptoms, study site, marital status, psychotropic medication use, and lifetime history of anxiety or substance abuse/dependence disorder. Future research is needed to characterize the temporal and etiologic relationships among lifetime depressive disorder, current mood state, and sexual function in women across the lifespan. KEY WORDS: depression; women; sexual behavior; sexual satisfaction; Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

This study documents significant associations among lifetime abuse experiences, psychiatric diagnoses, and sexual risk behaviors in a multiethnic community sample of young men and women (N = 1803) in South Florida. Self-report data were collected via structured interviews as part of a longitudinal follow-up of a larger school-based study. Participants were grouped according to extent of lifetime abuse experiences. Cumulative lifetime abuse experiences were associated with increased risk for a broad range of individual lifetime psychiatric disorders, as well as cumulative lifetime psychiatric disorders. Both cumulative abuse experiences and cumulative psychiatric disorders were independently associated with (a) higher levels of sexual risk behaviors and (b) higher risk for lifetime sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Implications for selective prevention of sexual risk behaviors and STDs among young adults with histories of abuse and psychiatric disorders are discussed. KEY WORDS: Abuse; HIV; psychiatric disorders; sexual risk behavior; sexually transmitted diseases; young adults.

This article reports the utility of an information processing approach to examine whether there is a relationship between sexual content induced delay and levels of sexual desire as determined by self-report questionnaires. We tested this idea using a partial replication of the J. H. Geer and H. S. Bellard (1996) protocol demonstrating sexual content induced delay (SCID) in responding to sexual versus neutral words. In addition, the experiment examined whether SCID was different in people with varying levels of sexual desire. It was hypothesized that persons with low levels of sexual desire might respond more slowly to sexual word cues than others. Words with equal frequency of usage and similar word length were chosen from among those used in the Geer and Bellard study. The experiment was conducted with 171 volunteers who completed sexual desire questionnaires, lexical decision making tasks, and word ratings. The SCID effect was demonstrated by both men and women in the study with no significant variation between the sexes. In accordance with prediction, it was found that persons with lower levels of sexual desire responded more slowly to sexual stimuli than other participants, and rated sexual words as less familiar, less acceptable, and less positive emotionally to them. These findings have implications for understanding how emotional content contributes to SCID. They also suggest that further exploration of these ideas, perhaps using other stimulus modalities, may be helpful in advancing understanding of responses to sexual cues, and the potential implications that may have in better understanding sexual desire. KEY WORDS: sex: lexical decisions; information processing.

A total of 1,225 men and women attending a commercial event in the state of Victoria, Australia were surveyed as to whether they had ever paid for sex. Of 612 men surveyed, 143 (23.4%) had paid for sex at least once. Men who had ever paid for sex were compared with male nonclients on 13 demographic and sexual history measures; only four significantly differentiated clients from nonclients. Clients were significantly older, less likely to have been educated beyond high school, less likely to report having a regular partner in the past 6 months, and more likely to report that their most recent sexual encounter was with a casual partner. Clients of sex workers reported the major reason for paying for sex was to satisfy their sexual needs (43.8%), followed by the belief that paying for sex was less trouble (36.4%), and that it would be entertaining (35.5%). A factor analysis of reasons for visiting sex workers identified three factors labelled Ease, Engagement, and Arousal. Together, these factors accounted for 55% of the variance associated with the factor solution of motivations for paying for sex. In a setting where commercial sex is legally available from brothels, it would appear that clients are unremarkable in their social characteristics and are motivated mainly by the ease of the commercial sex encounter, the need for engagement with another, and because they feel in need of sexual 'relief.' KEY WORDS: commercial sex work; prostitution; sexual health.

This paper uses survival methods to assess the relationship between perceived peer behavior and the timing of first sex among Rwandan youth. The data derive from a 2001 survey among youth aged 15-24 years in four provinces: Kigali Ville, Butare, Kibuye, and Umutara. A total of 1327 male and female youth were interviewed through a structured questionnaire that includes questions on sexual attitudes and behaviors. The findings showed that the perception that peers are sexually active is associated with increased likelihood of experiencing early sexual debut. For both sexes, the relationship between perceived peer behavior and the timing of first sex is stronger in young adulthood than in late adolescence. Among female youth, the presence of the father appears to weaken the role of perceived peer behavior. A similar tendency is not found for male youth. KEY WORDS: youth; sexual debut; Rwanda; peer behavior.

Kinsey built upon what other European and American researchers had done, but in is male volume he was much more critical of his predecessors than he was in the female volume. Although he mentioned many of the European sex researchers, several were conspicuous by their absence and, at times, he seemed very moralistic (e.g., that Hirschfeld was not an objective researcher because of his campaign for gay rights or the failure of H. Ellis to have face-to-face contact with his participants). He had little positive to say about psychiatrists in general, although he imparted a more positive message in the female volume. If bibliographical citations are any example, Kinsey explored much more widely in the social sciences in the female volume than he did in the male volume, indicating that he himself acquired greater expertise over the years. Certainly, the female volume was a more well rounded treatment. Overall, the effect of his books was to change the way people looked at sex; indeed, sex could never be the same again. KEY WORDS: Kinsey; sex research; early sex researchers; history.

Environmental influences on sexual behavior are difficult to examine given their temporal distance from the sexual act and the cost of long-term longitudinal studies. We examined environmental influences on risky sexual behavior in young gay men using the Situational Presentation (Sitpres) methodology, where situations in which relevant environmental variables are presented as computer vignettes with the variables randomly allocated, and participants rate the likelihood of their engaging in unsafe sexual behavior. A total of 100 gay men aged between 18 and 26 years of age completed 20 situational presentations with the outcome being the likelihood of engaging in unprotected anal intercourse. On regression analysis, 3 environmental variables significantly predicted safer sex: perceived gay/bisexual men's norms toward condom use; availability of HIV prevention messages; and what one's religion says about gay sex. Not significant were family, media, legal, and work/school attitudes to homosexuality. Demographic variables that were predictors included education, age, sexual orientation, and degree of being 'out' about sexual orientation. These data suggest that environmental factors can be approximated using the Sitpres methodology, and that more proximal environmental variables have a stronger impact than distal ones. KEY WORDS: homosexuality; gay men; environment; safe sex.

First-person reports of individuals' experiences of problematic 'sleep sex' were collected in an Internet-based study. Qualitative analysis of 121 reports yielded 6 distinct themes: (1) fear and a lack of emotional intimacy; (2) guilt and confusion; (3) a sense of repulsion and feelings of sexual abandonment; (4) shame, disappointment, and frustration; (5) annoyance and suspicion; (6) embarrassment and a sense of 'self-incrimination.' Results suggest that sleep sex can elicit negative emotions and cognitions that may become a source of personal and relational distress. Clinician familiarity with problematic sleep sex may foster more effective communication with individuals presenting with such complaints. KEY WORDS: sleep sex; sleepsex; sexsomnia; parasomnia; phenomenology.

Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in women after spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Recently, the use of anxiety-provoking stimulation has been explored as a means of improving sexual responses in able-bodied sexually functional and dysfunctional women. In this laboratory-based study, we assessed the sexual and autonomic responses of women with SCIs with varying degrees of preservation of sympathetic innervation to their genitals to respond to anxiety-provoking audiovisual (AV) stimulation. Subjects were 45 women with SCIs and 11 able-bodied women. For purposes of analysis, SCI subjects were grouped on the basis of the degree of preservation of sensation in the T11-L2 dermatomes. Results revealed that women with low sensory scores in these dermatomes achieved higher vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) responses to audiovisual erotic stimulation after anxiety preexposure than after neutral preexposure; however, women with SCIs and the greatest degree of preservation of sensory function in the T11-L2 dermatomes, as well as able-bodied controls, did not. Moreover, these same 2 groups of subjects had a decrease in VPA responses during baseline periods in which an anxiety-provoking video sequence was shown, but not during the neutral sequence. It is concluded that these findings are due to the proximity of sensory and autonomic neurologic elements in the spinal cord. Moreover, they demonstrate the differential effects of sympathetic stimulation on genital sexual arousal. KEY WORDS: neurogenic sexual dysfunction: females; spinal cord injury.

Kinsey built upon what other European and American researchers had done, but in his male volume he was much more critical of his predecessors than he was in the female volume. Although he mentioned many of the European sex researchers, several were conspicuous by their absence and, at times, he seemed very moralistic (e.g., that Hirschfeld was not an objective researcher because of his campaign for gay rights or the failure of H. Ellis to have face-to-face contact with his participants). He had little positive to say about psychiatrists in general, although he imparted a more positive message in the female volume. If bibliographical citations are any example, Kinsey explored much more widely in the social sciences in the female volume than he did in the male volume, indicating that he himself acquired greater expertise over the years. Certainly, the female volume was a more well rounded treatment. Overall, the effect of his books was to change the way people looked at sex; indeed, sex could never be the same again. KEY WORDS: Kinsey; sex research; early sex researchers; history.

The principles of community-based participatory research were applied to an exploratory sexual health study that examined 'cruising for sex' among men on a college campus. In the context of a study seeking a broad interpretation of the health implications of cruising, and when faced with methodological challenges, the researchers found these principles to provide invaluable guidance. A review of the research process is offered and the manner in which the principles of community-based participatory research were operationalized for this study is described. KEY WORDS: sexual health; community-based participatory research; public sex; cruising.

Sexual health is a complex, multidimensional construct. In analyzing race and ethnicity in sexual health, this article examines 2 domains of discourse: (1) preventive sexual health, a public health oriented domain of discourse concerned with the prevention of disease, and (2) eudaemonic sexual health, a domain of discourse concerned with attainment of sexual pleasure within a moral context. Research on the sexual health of ethnic minority populations is typically focused on preventive sexual health. There is an underemphasis on eudaemonic discourses when applied to ethnic minority persons, particularly in the examination of ethnic variations in sexual dysfunction. Medicalization of sexual dysfunction, control of minority sexualities, and ethnically oriented cultural scenarios are cited as reasons for this underemphasis. Exploring racial/ethnic aspects of eudaemonic sexual health can deepen understanding of sexual health in multiple domains and strengthen the ability to promote sexual health for all. KEY WORDS: sexual health; race; ethnicity; sex therapy.

The past decade has shown an increasing use of the concept of sexual health. This upsurge is especially noticeable not only in the field of health education and promotion but also in academic sources. The concept is typically used self-evidently and with widely diverse connotations. The definition and understanding of sexual health are still evolving and pose various critical questions. For instance, the term sexual health may imply various risks, including a one-sided health perspective on sexuality and a new excuse to control sexual behavior. The recent discourse on sexual health is paralleled by an upsurge in the debate on sexual rights. Both concepts serve different functions but are intricately interwoven. In this introductory paper, we introduce this Special Section and hope to further the debate and scientific exploration of sexual health. KEY WORDS: sexual health; sexual rights, social hygiene.

This paper examines the historical events that have contributed to evolving definitions of sexual health. Through a review of the literature, eight definitions of sexual health were identified from the original 1975 World Health Organization (WHO) definition up until the most recent definition in 2002. Each of these definitions is reviewed for the context in which they were developed and the particular contributions they have played in the development of the understanding of sexual health. The more recent definitions have built upon the essential elements provided in the original WHO definition but have added concepts of mental health, responsibility, and sexual rights. Although similarities exist in the definitions, they are not all alike. The importance of defining sexual health in the discussion of promoting sexual health is illustrated. The concept and definition of sexual health will continue to evolve shaped by historical events. KEY WORDS: public health; reproductive health; sexual health; sexual rights; World Health Organization.

Nonvolitional sex is sexual behavior that violates a person's right to choose when and with whom to have sex and what sexual behaviors to engage in. The more extreme forms of this behavior include rape, forced sex, childhood sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and violence against people with nonconventional sexual identities. More nuanced forms of nonvolitional sex include engaging in sexual behavior that masks one's nonconventional sexual identity, or that protects one's position with peers, or that represents a quid pro quo for the economic support that one obtains within an intimate relationship. The aim of this essay is to highlight the ways in which nonvolitional sex threatens sexual health and to identify strategies for ameliorating this problem. These strategies will have to be as broad in scope as is the problem that they are designed to address. The essay discusses the following strategies to reduce nonvolitional sex: (1) advocacy for sexual rights, gender equality, and equality for individuals with nonconventional sexual identities; (2) primary prevention programs and interventions that offer comprehensive sexuality education that establishes volitional sex and sexual health as basic human rights; (3) health services that routinely ask clients about their experiences with nonvolitional sex in an open and culturally appropriate manner; and (4) secondary prevention programs to meet the needs of victims of nonvolitional sex identified by the 'screening' programs. KEY WORDS: sexual coercion; sexual health; sexual assault; sexual rights.

The role of genetic and environmental influences on age of initiation of first sexual relations and engaging in sexual activity with multiple partners (10 or more partners in 1 year) was investigated in male twins (N D 6; 744) from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Individual differences in both types of sexual behaviors were heritable, but only age of onset of sexual relations was significantly influenced by the environment shared by the twins. There was a moderate negative correlation between age of initiation of sexual relations and the multiple partners variable; initiating sexual relations earlier was associated with a higher probability of having multiple partners. The additive genetic influence on age of initiation also influenced the multiple partners variable. The substantial unique environmental influences on each variable were uncorrelated with each other. The data suggest that the observed association between age of initiation of sexual relations and having multiple partners is due to genetic influences common to both behaviors. KEY WORDS: sexual behavior; multiple sexual partners; twins; genetics.

This study examined sexual practices, condom use, and psychosocial correlates of condom use in a convenience sample of 187 Chinese gay men in Hong Kong. Among those who were sexually active and answered the item on condom use (n = 164), 22% never used condoms, 39% were inconsistent condom users, and 39% used condoms every time they engaged in sexual activities in the past 6 months. Compared to inconsistent and noncondom users, consistent condom users had more positive feelings toward condom use, perceived greater vulnerability to STD/AIDS infections, showed greater self-acceptance and disclosure of their homosexual sexual orientation, were more involved with local gay communities, endorsed more favorable attitudes toward coming out, and had a lower level of perceived discrimination because of their homosexual sexual orientation. The two groups did not differ significantly on perceived partner reaction to condom use. Results of a logistic regression analysis showed that positive feelings toward condom use were the most salient correlate of consistent condom use. KEY WORDS: coming out; condom use; Chinese; homosexuality.

The role of genetic and environmental influences on age of initiation of first sexual relations and engaging in sexual activity with multiple partners (10 or more partners in 1 year) was investigated in male twins (N = 6, 744) from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Individual differences in both types of sexual behaviors were heritable, but only age of onset of sexual relations was significantly influenced by the environment shared by the twins. There was a moderate negative correlation between age of initiation of sexual relations and the multiple partners variable; initiating sexual relations earlier was associated with a higher probability of having multiple partners. The additive genetic influence on age of initiation also influenced the multiple partners variable. The substantial unique environmental influences on each variable were uncorrelated with each other. The data suggest that the observed association between age of initiation of sexual relations and having multiple partners is due to genetic influences common to both behaviors. KEY WORDS: sexual behavior; multiple sexual partners; twins; genetics.

In this study, we analyzed heart rate variability during sexual activity using complex demodulation, which is a useful technique to study continuous changes in different frequency bands over short periods of time. Complex demodulation has the advantage of having higher time resolution compared to spectral analysis. We quantified the low frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF: 0.15-0.5 Hz) amplitudes, and the LF/HF ratio before, during, and after the occurrence of orgasm. LF power is dually mediated by cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic systems while HF power is mainly influenced by cardiac vagal function. We found a significant increase of cardiac sympathovagal interaction (LF/HF ratios) during the phase of orgasm. These findings are discussed in light of normal sexual physiology and the effect of sex on cardiac autonomic function in patients with heart disease, such as myocardial infarction. KEY WORDS: complex demodulation: LF amplitude; HF amplitude; sympathetic; vagal; sexual activity.