IntrodudionIn the United States, the norm of sexual monogamy asserts considerable influence on relationships ranging from state-sanctioned marriages to less formal dating relationships. For married couples, the norm of sexual monogamy holds considerable sway at the attitudinal level,' but behavioral adherence to this norm is less rigid. An estimated 26% to 50% of men and 21% to 38% of women have reported at least one lifetime occurrence of extramarital sex. cases (total unweighted n = 8263, married n = 3197; response rate = 65%), and a special Hispanic urban sample (total unweighted n = 4511, married n = 2343; cooperation rate = 79%) (for demographics, see Table 1).Extramarital sex was defined as having more than one partner during the year prior to the survey based on the following question: "Over the past 12 months, how many different people have you had either vaginal or anal intercourse with?" (0.2% nonresponse across samples). Since types of sexual partners were not ascertained, some respondents who had only one sexual partner, but whose partner was not their spouse, may have been misclassified as maritally monogamous. Also, those who changed during the 12-month reporting period from marital monogamy to nonmonogamy following divorce or the death of their spouse could not be distinguished from those who were married and nonmonogamous in tandem. We focused on condom use during all acts of vaginal intercourse over the previous 6 months since all extramarital sex respondents were having vaginal intercourse. Six-month estimates of sexual behavior have been shown to have good reliability and validity.843 Condom use was categorized into three groups: never (0%), sometimes (1% to 99%), and always (100%).To examine the correlates of extramarital sex, we restricted our analysis to married 18-to 49-year-olds since this age group allowed us to use both the urban sample and the large

This study examined the role of self-esteem and peer group membership in risk behavior among 183 8th graders in a multiethnic school. The hypothesis was that domain-specific rather than global self-esteem would be associated with "crowd" membership that in turn would be related to risk behavior. Data were gathered through informant interviews and individual surveys. Domain-specific self-esteem was related to crowd affiliation as well as to alcohol and cigarette use; global self-esteem was not related. Crowd affiliation related to alcohol use and sexual behavior after controlling for the effects of demographic and self-esteem variables, but crowd membership did not fully mediate the relationship between self-esteem and risk behavior. Availability of alcohol and cigarettes mediated the relationship between crowd affiliation and use of these substances. Findings support growing evidence that multiple adolescent peer groups exist and that group membership is closely tied to behavior.

This study examined the role of close friends in the sexual lives of African American adolescents. Fifteen African American adolescents residing in an urban neighborhood participated in individual in-depth qualitative interviews. The findings suggest that close friends play a critical role in the dating and sexual behaviors of inner-city African American adolescents, as they appear to serve as socializing agents that impact how adolescents conceptualize and socially construct dating and sexual roles and behaviors. Close friends also play a significant role in acquiring new dating and sexual partners and in determining the course of dating and sexual relationships. Although females and males expressed similar expectations regarding sexual fidelity and condom use, they differed with regard to their method and process of talking with friends about dating and sex, their shared social constructions about dating and sexual roles and expectations, and their perceptions of the meaning of dating. We discuss the implications of the findings in terms of involving close friends in interventions focused on improving the sexual health of African American adolescents. Future directions for research with African American adolescents and sexuality are also discussed.

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In a study of risk behavior among heterosexuals, 9% of a national sample and 12% of a sample drawn from high-risk cities report having two or more sexual partners in the year before the survey. In both samples, sex with multiple partners is most common among men, younger people and the unmarried. Multivariate analyses show that racial and ethnic differences in the proportion of respondents with multiple partners vary by marital status. The results indicate that many heterosexuals are failing to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases: Among respondents with multiple partners, only 18% of men and 22% of women always use condoms with their primary partner, and 28% of men and 32% of women always use them with secondary partners. These proportions do not increase significantly with the number of partners; in general, almost half of men and women with multiple partners never use condoms.

OBJECTIVES. The National AIDS Behavioral Survey (1990-1992) of heterosexual adults (18-49 years) measured human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk factors, condom use, and HIV antibody testing, with a focus on major "high-risk" cities. METHODS. A longitudinal survey was conducted. RESULTS. There was little reduction in the overall prevalence of HIV risk factors in the national or high-risk cities cohorts over time. Despite this picture of stability, approximately 39% of the population at risk for HIV because of multiple sexual partners turns over annually. There was little change in HIV test-seeking or in consistent condom use with primary sexual partners. Although the majority of at-risk respondents used condoms sporadically or not at all (65%), a significant increase in condom use was found among those reporting multiple sexual partners in both waves, particularly among Black heterosexuals. Data from other surveys and condom sales nationally support the findings. CONCLUSIONS. There is a need for a series of surveys in this area to assess the reliability of the present findings and to monitor the general US population's response to prevention programs.

In this study we examined multiple partners in a household probability sample of heterosexuals. Thirty-seven percent reported 2 or more partners in the past year, and 6% reported 5 or more partners. Significant interactions among gender, ethnicity, and relationship status revealed complex relations. African American men without a primary partner were the most likely to have multiple partners; ethnic minority women with primary partners were the least likely. Psychosocial factors associated with multiple partners were examined with the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM). Situational factors influenced how ARRM variables related to multiple partners. Perceived risk, commitment to monogamy, and communication were all important correlates. Prevention efforts must focus on increasing awareness of the risks of heterosexual transmission of HIV for people in dating relationships and on strengthening sexual communication skills with new partners.

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