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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Larry K. Brown, MD, Celia M. Lescano, PhD, Paul M. Miller, PhD, and Kelsey M. Latimer, BA. School of Medicine, Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy Street-Middle House 203, Providence, RI 02903, 401-444-8539, LKBrown@lifespan.org
Background: HIV prevention for adolescents has focused on skills acquisition (e.g., condom use) and precursors of those skills, such as self-efficacy. The relationship between emotion regulation and safer sexual behavior has not been well studied. Methods: The sample included two hundred and twenty-two adolescents in psychiatric settings, subjects most likely to have difficulty with emotional regulation. Participants were assessed using measures of HIV risk behaviors and attitudes, as well as a measure of self-efficacy for condom use during periods of emotional distress with alpha=0.92 (e.g., “I could use a condom when upset”). Results: Those participants reporting difficulty using condoms when emotionally distressed (lowest third of scale scores) reported significantly fewer HIV-safe intentions, decreased HIV self-efficacy, fewer pros of condom use, and greater general risk attitudes than those with more efficacy. In addition, they reported significantly less consistent condom use (55% vs. 77%), less recent use condoms (17% vs. 32%), and were less likely to buy condoms (33% vs. 52%). After a skills-based HIV prevention intervention, 83% of those with high efficacy at baseline reported consistent condom use, compared to only 48% of those with low efficacy. Conclusions: Emotional distress that impairs condom use efficacy is strongly related to HIV risk behaviors and attitudes. These data suggest interventions should teach the use of affect management to control emotional reactivity in different condom use situations. These results have implications for the significant number of adolescents in all communities that have difficulty managing the feelings associated with sexual behavior and condom use.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Adolescents, Condom Use
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.