The Moral Emotions, Alcohol Dependence, and HIV Risk Behavior in an Incarcerated Sample

Abstract

This article examines the relationship of shame, guilt, and symptoms of alcohol dependence to pre-incarceration HIV risk behaviors in an ongoing study in a metropolitan jail. Between 2002 and 2004 an ethnically diverse sample of 368 male inmates (mean age = 31, SD = 9.7), were interviewed on a variety of constructs including shame- and guilt-proneness (), alcohol dependence (), and HIV risk behavior (). Symptoms of alcohol dependence were associated with elevated levels of HIV risk behavior (risky needle use and unprotected sex) prior to incarceration. Guilt-proneness was negatively related to risky sexual behavior. In addition, there was an interaction between shame and symptoms of alcohol dependence. Specifically, among those who were low on alcohol dependence, shame-proneness was negatively related to risky sexual behavior. The study's limitations are noted and findings are discussed in the context of the importance of considering moral emotions and alcohol dependence when designing programs to reduce HIV risk.

Keywords:

• HIV risk behavior
• needle use
• risky sexual behavior
• shame
• guilt
• moral emotions
• alcohol dependence
• jails
• inmates

Notes

¹Statistics are based on data available as of June 22, 2004 in this on-going longitudinal study.