No abstract

This study investigated factors associated with sexual behavior that confers the greatest risk for HIV transmission (i.e., unprotected anal intercourse; UAI) among 52 sexually active gay and bisexual adolescent males in a Midwestern city ages 15-19. A logistic regression model found that ethnicity other than African American, more sexual partners in the past year, greater stigma towards homosexuality, and greater perceived peer sexual norms for risky behavior were significantly associated with UAI (x2=27.96, df=5, p<.001; Nagelkerke R2 = 0.56). Implications for prevention interventions are discussed.

This study investigated the relationship between runaway behavior and the quality of parental attachment, or parental bonding style, among a sample of 159 incarcerated adolescent males. Participants completed the Demographic and Descriptive Inventory (DADI) and the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and provided responses to the question, "Have you ever run away from home and stayed overnight?" Pearson correlation coefficients indicated that participants' reports of running away were significantly correlated with fathers' affectionless control (r = .18, p = .02) and mothers' affectionless control (r = .20, p = .013). Binary logistic regression suggested that affectionless control by either parent significantly predicted a participant's running away from home (x2 = 12.69, df = 6, p < .05). These results indicate that the quality of these youths' parental attachment is an important factor in their decisions about whether to run away from home, suggesting that parental bonding style may be a potential risk factor for running away from home.

With high rates of trauma among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) who use methamphetamine, this preliminary pilot study examined the associations between experiential avoidance, trauma symptoms, and management of a chronic illness. Among a small sample of HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using MSM in a California Bay Area County, greater reported experiential avoidance was significantly related to greater reported trauma and symptoms of traumatic stress. Furthermore, greater reported experiential avoidance was significantly related to reduced self-efficacy of illness management and more frequent methamphetamine use. Although further research is needed, these data suggest that addressing issues of experiential avoidance and trauma could affect behavioral choices and treatment outcomes in this high-risk population.

No abstract