Validation of the Outcome Expectancy Scale for HIV Serostatus Disclosure to Female Sex Partners Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women Living with HIV in China

Abstract

The study aimed to develop an instrument, Outcome Expectancy Scale (OES), to assess outcome expectancies regarding disclosing HIV-positive status to the regular female sex partner (i.e. girlfriend, wife) based on a cross-sectional survey among 217 men who have sex with men and women living with HIV. We developed the positive OES and negative OES, and five factors were identified for each of them by the Exploratory Factor Analysis, respectively. The psychometric properties were satisfactory. This 30-item OES was valid and reliable in assessing outcome expectancies, and it could be used to inform intervention design and theory development.

Keywords:

• HIV
• Serostatus disclosure
• Outcome expectancy
• Men who have sex with men and women
• Validity

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all of the participants who took the time to contribute to this study. The authors would also like to acknowledge three collaborators for assisting in participant’s recruitment and screening, including 1) Dr. Hongjing Yan and Dr. Xiping Huan from Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2) Mr. Xiaojie Lin and Mr. Xiaodong Wang from Chengdu Tongle Health Counseling Service Center, and 3) Mr. Li Gu and Mr. Peng Wang from Hebei Light of Love Group Caring for People Living with HIV. We would also like to acknowledge Dr. Emeka Agudile for his editing on this manuscript.

Conflicts of interest

None

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Ref# 81373054).