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Parallel bodies of research have described the diverse and complex ways that men understand and construct their masculine identities (often termed "masculinities") and, separately, how adherence to traditional notions of masculinity places men at risk for negative sexual and health outcomes. The goal of this analysis was to bring together these two streams of inquiry. Using data from a national, online sample of 555 heterosexually active young men, we employed latent class analysis (LCA) to detect patterns of masculine identities based on men's endorsement of behavioral and attitudinal indicators of "dominant" masculinity, including sexual attitudes and behaviors. LCA identified four conceptually distinct masculine identity profiles. Two groups, termed the Normative and Normative/Male Activities groups, respectively, constituted 88 % of the sample and were characterized by low levels of adherence to attitudes, sexual scripts, and behaviors consistent with "dominant" masculinity, but differed in their levels of engagement in male-oriented activities (e.g., sports teams). Only eight percent of the sample comprised a masculinity profile consistent with "traditional" ideas about masculinity; this group was labeled Misogynistic because of high levels of sexual assault and violence toward female partners. The remaining four percent constituted a Sex-Focused group, characterized by high numbers of sexual partners, but relatively low endorsement of other indicators of traditional masculinity. Follow-up analyses showed a small number of differences across groups on sexual and substance use health indicators. Findings have implications for sexual and behavioral health interventions and suggest that very few young men embody or endorse rigidly traditional forms of masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on heterosexual men's sexual expectations has focused on self-described personal traits and culturally dominant models of masculinity. In a pair of studies, we used a sexual scripts perspective to explore the range and diversity of young men's thoughts about sex and relationships with women and to develop measures for assessing these scripts. In the first study, we conducted semi-structured interviews to elicit young men's accounts of their sexual relationships. We used these narratives to produce brief sexual script scenarios describing typical sexual situations, as well as conventional survey items assessing sexual behavior themes. In the second study, we administered the scenarios and theme items to an ethnically diverse, national sample of 648 heterosexually active young men in an online survey. Using exploratory factor analysis, we delineated sets of sexual scripts and sexual behavior themes. In the scenarios, we found both a traditional masculine 'player' script and a script that emphasized mutual sexual pleasure. Analysis of theme items produced scales of Drinking and Courtship, Monogamy and Emotion, and Sexual Focus and Variety. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding heterosexual men's thinking about sexuality and how cultural change in sexual thinking may arise. We also discuss the need for measures of sexual thinking that better integrate perceptions and expectations about the partner as well as the self in relation to the partner, rather than solely self-assessed traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares condom use reported two ways. 251 heterosexual participants (63% female) reported condom use on a prospective daily diary and on a retrospective questionnaire. Proportion of condom use with vaginal sex was calculated from the diary data and contrasted with retrospective categories. Responses were consistent for some participants, especially those who used condoms never or always, but responses from others showed considerable variability. Participants with few sexual encounters were more likely than those with more encounters to use “never” and “every time” endpoints. The results call into question the way participants interpret the meaning of retrospective categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is often assumed that drinking alcohol interferes with condom use, most studies on this topic do not meet the conditions required for causal interpretation. We examined the association of drinking to condom use using data from diaries of alcohol use and sexual encounters, collected over 8 weeks from college students and clients of a sexually transmitted disease clinic. This method establishes the temporal relationships between drinking and condom use and controls for individual differences by using a within-subjects analysis. Multilevel models that predicted condom use from alcohol use before the sexual encounter, partner type, and the use of other contraception showed that drinking before sex was unrelated to condom use. These results do not support the persistent notion that alcohol causes people to engage in sexual risk that they would avoid when sober; instead, people tend to follow their usual pattern of condom use, regardless of alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between substance use and condom use using a study design that remedied some of the methodological problems noted in prior research. A community sample of 147 gay men completed daily diaries in which they reported their substance use and sexual behaviors for 8 weeks. This method helped ensure the contiguity of substance use and sexual behaviors, established the temporal relationships between them, and controlled for confounding individual differences that could cause both substance use and sexual risktaking. A within-subjects analysis showed no significant relationships between condom use and alcohol and/or drug use consumed within 4 hr of having anal sex. Condoms were more likely to be used with casual than with steady partners and were more likely to be used by HIV− men. These results suggest that the relationships found in prior studies could be due to measurement differences or confounding personality or situational factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines bonding in parent, peer and school domains which were compared in a general sample of children and a sample of children of methadone-treated patients. Details on the samples and procedures used in this study; Findings on the quality of relationship between drug-using parents and their children; Discussion on the results of the study.

The article presents a correction to the acknowledgements of the paper "A Latent Class Analysis of Heterosexual Young Men’s Masculinities" by Erin A. Casey, N. Tatiana Masters, Blair Beadnell, Elizabeth A. Wells, Diane M. Morrison, and Marilyn J. Hoppe.