Vengeance, HIV Disclosure, and Perceived HIV Transmission to Others

Abstract

Feelings of vengefulness result from being treated unfairly. However, some individuals are more sensitive to unfair treatment and more likely to demand restitution than others. Degrees of vengefulness may influence behavior in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), where highly vengeful men may seek limited retribution by placing others at risk, for example, by failing to disclose their HIV-status to sexual partners. This study examined the tendency towards vengefulness in HIV-positive MSM and its associations with disclosure and condom use behaviors. Results showed that greater certainty of from whom participants had contracted HIV was associated with lowered vengefulness over time. Though condom use did not vary by vengefulness, MSM reporting higher vengefulness concealed their HIV serostatus more than men reporting less vengefulness. Vengeance was not related to individuals' perceptions that they had transmitted the disease to others. Overall, the data suggested identifying one's HIV transmitter was reconciliatory. Men reporting higher vengefulness might also derive a sense of justice from not disclosing their serostatus.

Understanding HIV disclosure: A review and application of the Disclosure Processes Model

“…That is, while many studies demonstrate that disclosure to a sexual partner is related to safer sexual practices such as greater condom use (e.g., Bouhnik et al, 2007; Parsons et al, 2005), others find no relationship (Moskowitz & Roloff, 2008; Tunthanathip et al, 2009). Additional studies suggest that the relationship between disclosure and lower sexual risk behavior is moderated by factors such as partner type (i.e., casual vs. steady, HIV status of the confidant; Duru et al, 2006; Klitzman et al, 2007), participant gender (Lurie et al, 2008; Sullivan, 2009), or subsequent discussion of safer sex practices (Carballo-Diéguez, Miner, Dolezal, Rosser, & Jacoby, 2006; Horvath, Oakes, & Rosser, 2008).…”

Formation of Personal HIV Disclosure Policies among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men

“…53 In an Internet study advertised in the United States and internationally, the average MSM participant was 21% certain he had transmitted HIV to another person. 54 Willful exposure=transmission of HIV is a crime in many jurisdictions worldwide. 55 There are, however, documented differences in concern about passing the virus to others.…”

“…In the sole available study, HIV-positive MSM who reported feeling higher degrees of vengefulness disclosed their seropositivity less often, but vengefulness was not associated with condom use with casual partners. 54 HIV-positive persons, including MSM, may resolve to disclose their serostatus to sexual partners for emotional release, to educate others or out of a sense of obligation to 532 RUTLEDGE others, 51,57 but contextual factors may conflict with a personal sense of responsibility. 48 For example, HIV-positive MSM may disclose more often than HIV-negative MSM to absolve themselves of responsibility for safer sex or to facilitate unprotected sex.…”

Vengeance, Condomless Sex and HIV Disclosure Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV

“…Feelings of vengefulness may be produced from specific experiences— a vengeful act may be done after a time of reflecting on the harm or “wrong” that has been done to oneself, which goes beyond just being hostile [6]. As such, vengeance may be a risk factor for HIV through its association with nondisclosure [7]; that is, those that are HIV infected may feel vengeful and not disclose their status to sexual partners. Nevertheless, Stuckless and Goranson [6] suggested that even though vengefulness may be a separate concept from general hostility, a person who may be highly vengeful has a higher likelihood of displaying anger.…”

“…Vengeance has been shown to be a risk factor for HIV nondisclosure [7]. One study found that men who have sex with men (MSM) who scored higher on the vengeance scale tended to hide their HIV serostatus more compared to men who reported less vengeance [7].…”