Non-monogamy agreements and safer sex behaviors: The role of perceived sexual self-control

ABSTRACT

Attitudes toward condoms and self-control are reliable predictors of consistent condom use. However, safer sex behaviors depend on whether people are single or romantically involved. For the latter, it also depends on whether people are non-consensually non-monogamous (NCNM) or consensually non-monogamous (CNM). A cross-sectional study with 512 Portuguese heterosexual users of the Second Love website (77.0% men; M_age = 37.64, SD = 7.37; 47.8% romantically involved) examined if attitudes toward condom use were associated with safer sex behaviors – condom use negotiation and condom use frequency – and if this association was mediated by the perception of greater sexual self-control. For single participants we focused on casual partners, and for romantically involved participants we focused on both extradyadic casual partners and the primary partner. Results showed that perceived sexual self-control mediated the association between attitudes and condom use negotiation with casual partners. However, for condom use frequency there was only evidence of mediation for romantically involved (and not single) participants. Lastly, results showed mediations for both safer sex behaviors with the primary partner, but only for CNM (and not NCNM) participants. These findings highlight the importance of sexual self-control and the need to acknowledge relationship agreements.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudes
• condoms
• safer sex behaviors
• sexual self-control
• non-monogamy

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Anabela Santos and the Second Love team for allowing access and publishing the web survey onto their website.

Availability of data

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, DLR, upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David L. Rodrigues

David L. Rodrigues is a Researcher at Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL). His primary research interests are in the areas of interpersonal relationships, sexuality, sexual health, health behaviors, and LGBT+ psychology.

Diniz Lopes

Diniz Lopes is an Auxiliary Professor of Social Psychology and Quantitative Methods at Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL). His primary research interests are in the areas of interpersonal relationships, sexuality and psychometrics.

Terri D. Conley

Terri D. Conley is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan. Her primary research interests are in the areas of gender and sexuality.