Suchergebnisse

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) report high rates of HIV/sexual risk behaviors. Childhood abuse has been linked to HIV/sexual risk behaviors among IPV-victimized women; however, limited research has examined factors that may influence this association. The current study tested the moderating role of avoidant coping in the relation between childhood abuse types (physical, emotional, and sexual) and HIV/sexual risk behaviors. Participants were 212 community women currently experiencing IPV (mean age = 36.63 years, 67.0% African American). Higher levels of avoidant coping were related to more severe childhood abuse types. Severity of childhood abuse types was associated with greater HIV/sexual risk behaviors. Avoidant coping moderated the relation between childhood sexual abuse severity and HIV/sexual risk behaviors, such that this association was significant for IPV-victimized women with high (but not low) levels of avoidant coping. Findings suggest the utility of targeting avoidant coping in interventions aimed at preventing or reducing HIV/sexual risk behaviors among IPV-victimized women with a history of childhood sexual abuse.

Numerous studies examining parent–teen communication about sex (PTCS) have focused on reproductive and sexual health information (i.e., pregnancy, physical development, contraception), with significantly fewer addressing communication about sensitive sex topics (i.e., sexual pleasure, masturbation). This study compares predictors of communication about reproductive and sexual health to those of sensitive sex topics with early adolescents. Participants were 465 rural caregivers and their African American youth. Positive attitudes and self-efficacy for PTCS, open communication style, and older youth age predicted caregiver reports of communication about reproductive and sexual health topics. Open communication style and self-efficacy for PTCS predicted caregiver reports of communication about sensitive sex topics. For youth, only older age and being female predicted communication about reproductive and sexual health, while only being female predicted communication about sensitive sex topics. This study may inform interventions that seek to increase PTCS by highlighting strategies for improving communication about both reproductive and sensitive sex topics.