The Mediating Role of Partner Communication Skills on HIV/STD–Associated Risk Behaviors in Young African American Females With a History of Sexual Violence

Abstract

Given the lifetime prevalence of sexual violence and its adverse sexual, psychological, and relational sequelae, it is paramount that effective interventions are developed. Based on our findings, improving partner communications skills is one particularly important area for HIV/sexually transmitted disease risk-reduction interventions for youths with a history of sexual violence.

Impact of Abuse History on Adolescent African American Women's Current HIV/STD-Associated Behaviors and Psychosocial Mediators of HIV/STD Risk

“…Some previous studies with African-American women have not found an association between history of abuse and condom use (Parillo, Freeman, Collier, & Young, 2001; Thompson, Potter, Sanderson, & Maibach, 1997); however, the significant association observed in this study is consistent with some previous research conducted with adult (Hall, et al, 2008; Hamburger et al, 2004; Sales, et al, 2008; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b) and adolescent samples (Younge, et al, 2010). The inconsistency in findings across studies could be due to variation in the degree to which women who are experiencing current abuse were included or excluded in the analyses.…”

“…However, relationship power, sex refusal self-efficacy, fear of condom negotiation, nor any combination thereof served as a mediator in the relationship between abuse history and consistent condom use. The association between abuse history and fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy observed in this study is corroborated by previous research (El-Bassel, et al, 1998; Kalichman, Williams, Cherry, Belcher, & Nachimson, 1998; Raiford, et al, 2007; Sales, et al, 2008; Thompson, et al, 1997; Wingood, et al, 2009; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b; Wingood, et al, 2000). The assumption arising from previous research was that a causal pathway existed between abuse and condom use which was mediated by fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy.…”

Impact of Abuse History on Adolescent African American Women's Current HIV/STD-Associated Behaviors and Psychosocial Mediators of HIV/STD Risk

“…Some previous studies with African-American women have not found an association between history of abuse and condom use (Parillo, Freeman, Collier, & Young, 2001; Thompson, Potter, Sanderson, & Maibach, 1997); however, the significant association observed in this study is consistent with some previous research conducted with adult (Hall, et al, 2008; Hamburger et al, 2004; Sales, et al, 2008; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b) and adolescent samples (Younge, et al, 2010). The inconsistency in findings across studies could be due to variation in the degree to which women who are experiencing current abuse were included or excluded in the analyses.…”

“…However, relationship power, sex refusal self-efficacy, fear of condom negotiation, nor any combination thereof served as a mediator in the relationship between abuse history and consistent condom use. The association between abuse history and fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy observed in this study is corroborated by previous research (El-Bassel, et al, 1998; Kalichman, Williams, Cherry, Belcher, & Nachimson, 1998; Raiford, et al, 2007; Sales, et al, 2008; Thompson, et al, 1997; Wingood, et al, 2009; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b; Wingood, et al, 2000). The assumption arising from previous research was that a causal pathway existed between abuse and condom use which was mediated by fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy.…”

Condom use among young women: Modeling the theory of gender and power.

“…The direct path from physical exposure to behavioral risk was only evident in one sample. In both samples, it also failed to demonstrate an indirect association with condom use through communication that was included in the hypothesized model and has been demonstrated in a previous study (Sales, Salazar, et al, 2008). However, this may have been because the indirect effect of physical risk on condom use and partner communication was mediated by negative personal affect.…”

“…Physical risk was found to indirectly impact condom use and communication through negative personal affect. The inclusion of personal affect as a mediator between violence and communication in the hypothesized chain of effects represents a departure from a previous study (Sales, Salazar, et al, 2008) and may be important to consider in future intervention research. For example, it may be that some adolescents who have experienced violence need specialized treatment addressing the impact to their mental health (e.g., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder) before receiving skills training for condom negotiation.…”

Positive sexuality: HIV disclosure, gender, violence and the law—A qualitative study

“…Our findings further resonate with previous work that showed how the request for using a condom by women may be perceived to signify concurrent or past ‘promiscuous’ sexual behaviours or as a sign of mistrust [ 58 , 59 , 61 ]. Women with a history of gender-based violence in particular have been found to be less likely to negotiate condom use and more likely to expect negative consequences in response to negotiating male condom use [ 56 , 58 , 62 ]. Previous research has also indicated that gender identity plays an important role in condom negotiation among trans women.…”

Impact of Abuse History on Adolescent African American Women's Current HIV/STD-Associated Behaviors and Psychosocial Mediators of HIV/STD Risk

“…Some previous studies with African-American women have not found an association between history of abuse and condom use (Parillo, Freeman, Collier, & Young, 2001; Thompson, Potter, Sanderson, & Maibach, 1997); however, the significant association observed in this study is consistent with some previous research conducted with adult (Hall, et al, 2008; Hamburger et al, 2004; Sales, et al, 2008; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b) and adolescent samples (Younge, et al, 2010). The inconsistency in findings across studies could be due to variation in the degree to which women who are experiencing current abuse were included or excluded in the analyses.…”

“…However, relationship power, sex refusal self-efficacy, fear of condom negotiation, nor any combination thereof served as a mediator in the relationship between abuse history and consistent condom use. The association between abuse history and fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy observed in this study is corroborated by previous research (El-Bassel, et al, 1998; Kalichman, Williams, Cherry, Belcher, & Nachimson, 1998; Raiford, et al, 2007; Sales, et al, 2008; Thompson, et al, 1997; Wingood, et al, 2009; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b; Wingood, et al, 2000). The assumption arising from previous research was that a causal pathway existed between abuse and condom use which was mediated by fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy.…”

Condom use among young women: Modeling the theory of gender and power.

“…The direct path from physical exposure to behavioral risk was only evident in one sample. In both samples, it also failed to demonstrate an indirect association with condom use through communication that was included in the hypothesized model and has been demonstrated in a previous study (Sales, Salazar, et al, 2008). However, this may have been because the indirect effect of physical risk on condom use and partner communication was mediated by negative personal affect.…”

“…Physical risk was found to indirectly impact condom use and communication through negative personal affect. The inclusion of personal affect as a mediator between violence and communication in the hypothesized chain of effects represents a departure from a previous study (Sales, Salazar, et al, 2008) and may be important to consider in future intervention research. For example, it may be that some adolescents who have experienced violence need specialized treatment addressing the impact to their mental health (e.g., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder) before receiving skills training for condom negotiation.…”

Positive sexuality: HIV disclosure, gender, violence and the law—A qualitative study

“…Our findings further resonate with previous work that showed how the request for using a condom by women may be perceived to signify concurrent or past ‘promiscuous’ sexual behaviours or as a sign of mistrust [ 58 , 59 , 61 ]. Women with a history of gender-based violence in particular have been found to be less likely to negotiate condom use and more likely to expect negative consequences in response to negotiating male condom use [ 56 , 58 , 62 ]. Previous research has also indicated that gender identity plays an important role in condom negotiation among trans women.…”

Impact of Abuse History on Adolescent African American Women's Current HIV/STD-Associated Behaviors and Psychosocial Mediators of HIV/STD Risk

“…Some previous studies with African-American women have not found an association between history of abuse and condom use (Parillo, Freeman, Collier, & Young, 2001; Thompson, Potter, Sanderson, & Maibach, 1997); however, the significant association observed in this study is consistent with some previous research conducted with adult (Hall, et al, 2008; Hamburger et al, 2004; Sales, et al, 2008; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b) and adolescent samples (Younge, et al, 2010). The inconsistency in findings across studies could be due to variation in the degree to which women who are experiencing current abuse were included or excluded in the analyses.…”

“…However, relationship power, sex refusal self-efficacy, fear of condom negotiation, nor any combination thereof served as a mediator in the relationship between abuse history and consistent condom use. The association between abuse history and fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy observed in this study is corroborated by previous research (El-Bassel, et al, 1998; Kalichman, Williams, Cherry, Belcher, & Nachimson, 1998; Raiford, et al, 2007; Sales, et al, 2008; Thompson, et al, 1997; Wingood, et al, 2009; Wingood & DiClemente, 1997b; Wingood, et al, 2000). The assumption arising from previous research was that a causal pathway existed between abuse and condom use which was mediated by fear of condom negotiation, relationship power, and refusal self-efficacy.…”

Condom use among young women: Modeling the theory of gender and power.

“…The direct path from physical exposure to behavioral risk was only evident in one sample. In both samples, it also failed to demonstrate an indirect association with condom use through communication that was included in the hypothesized model and has been demonstrated in a previous study (Sales, Salazar, et al, 2008). However, this may have been because the indirect effect of physical risk on condom use and partner communication was mediated by negative personal affect.…”

“…Physical risk was found to indirectly impact condom use and communication through negative personal affect. The inclusion of personal affect as a mediator between violence and communication in the hypothesized chain of effects represents a departure from a previous study (Sales, Salazar, et al, 2008) and may be important to consider in future intervention research. For example, it may be that some adolescents who have experienced violence need specialized treatment addressing the impact to their mental health (e.g., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder) before receiving skills training for condom negotiation.…”

Positive sexuality: HIV disclosure, gender, violence and the law—A qualitative study

“…Our findings further resonate with previous work that showed how the request for using a condom by women may be perceived to signify concurrent or past ‘promiscuous’ sexual behaviours or as a sign of mistrust [ 58 , 59 , 61 ]. Women with a history of gender-based violence in particular have been found to be less likely to negotiate condom use and more likely to expect negative consequences in response to negotiating male condom use [ 56 , 58 , 62 ]. Previous research has also indicated that gender identity plays an important role in condom negotiation among trans women.…”