Avoidance, anxiety, and sex: the influence of romantic attachment on HIV-risk among pregnant women
- PMID: 16865541
- DOI: 10.1007/s10461-006-9153-z
Avoidance, anxiety, and sex: the influence of romantic attachment on HIV-risk among pregnant women
Abstract
Most unprotected sex occurs in close relationships. However, few studies examine relational factors and sexual risk among high-risk populations. Romantic Attachment Theory states that individuals have cognitive working models for relationships that influence expectations, affect, and behavior. We investigated the influence of attachment avoidance and anxiety on sexual beliefs (e.g., condom use beliefs, self-efficacy), behavior (e.g., condom use, multiple partners, unprotected sex with risky partners), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among 755 high-risk, young pregnant women (ages 14-25) recruited from urban prenatal clinics. Attachment anxiety predicted sexual beliefs, condom use, and unprotected sex with risky partners controlling for demographic variables. Sexual beliefs did not mediate the relationship between attachment orientation and sexual behavior. Current relationship with the father of the baby did mediate the effect of attachment anxiety on multiple partners and STIs. Results indicate the importance of including general relational factors, such as attachment, in HIV prevention.
Similar articles
-
Patterns of sexual behaviour and reported symptoms of STI/RTIs among young people in Croatia--implications for interventions' planning.Coll Antropol. 2006 Dec;30 Suppl 2:63-70. Coll Antropol. 2006. PMID: 17508477
-
A rapid situation and response assessment of the female regular sex partners of male drug users in South Asia: factors associated with condom use during the last sexual intercourse.Int J Drug Policy. 2008 Apr;19(2):148-58. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2007.12.003. Epub 2008 Jan 24. Int J Drug Policy. 2008. PMID: 18221862
-
Knowledge of HIV, sexual behavior and correlates of risky sex among street children in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.East Afr J Public Health. 2008 Dec;5(3):186-92. East Afr J Public Health. 2008. PMID: 19374322
-
Adult attachments and sexuality: implications for understanding risk behaviours for HIV infection.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1992 Sep;26(3):399-407. doi: 10.3109/00048679209072062. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1992. PMID: 1417625 Review.
-
Lovemaking as a ceremony of accreditation.J Sex Marital Ther. 2005 Oct-Dec;31(5):425-32. doi: 10.1080/00926230591006773. J Sex Marital Ther. 2005. PMID: 16169825 Review.
Cited by
-
In young women, a link between childhood abuse and subliminal processing of aversive cues is moderated by impulsivity.BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Mar 2;22(1):159. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-03770-0. BMC Psychiatry. 2022. PMID: 35236322 Free PMC article.
-
Women at Greater Sexual Risk for STIs/HIV Have a Lower Mesolimbic and Affective Bias Response to Sexual Stimuli.Front Behav Neurosci. 2020 Jan 10;13:279. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00279. eCollection 2019. Front Behav Neurosci. 2020. PMID: 31998091 Free PMC article.
-
Dynamic Change Between Intimate Partner Violence and Contraceptive Use Over Time in Young Adult Men's and Women's Relationships.J Sex Res. 2019 Oct;56(8):985-998. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1509291. Epub 2018 Aug 29. J Sex Res. 2019. PMID: 30156880 Free PMC article.
-
Attachment orientation and sexual risk behaviour among young Black gay and bisexual men.Psychol Sex. 2016;7(3):177-196. doi: 10.1080/19419899.2016.1168312. Epub 2016 Apr 4. Psychol Sex. 2016. PMID: 27570578 Free PMC article.
-
Rejection Sensitivity, Perceived Power, and HIV Risk in the Relationships of Low-Income Urban Women.Women Health. 2015;55(8):900-20. doi: 10.1080/03630242.2015.1061091. Epub 2015 Jun 18. Women Health. 2015. PMID: 26086275 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
