Behavioral Escape Avoidance Coping in African-American Men Who Have Sex with Men

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate differences between African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) who use behavioral escape avoidance coping responses and those who do not. In particular, we investigated differences in the African-American MSM in our study on psychosocial factors such as internalized homonegativity, exploration phase sexual identity, and the importance of race/ethnicity identity to self-concept; and we investigated the association of these factors on the likelihood of the use of behavioral escape avoidance coping responses. Eighty-three African-American MSM completed our online assessment tool. Chi-square tests and modified Poisson regression were used to test our hypotheses. Our results revealed significant differences in the internalized homonegativity, exploration phase sexual identity, and in the importance of race/ethnicity identity to self-concept for the men in this study who endorsed behavioral escape avoidance coping responses compared to those who did not endorse behavioral escape avoidance coping responses.

KEYWORDS:

• African-American MSM
• sexual identity
• internalized homonegativity

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

All four authors were affiliated with Saint Louis University at the time of this research and the study was a master's thesis requirement for the first author.

Notes

^aSubject did not endorse any of the BEAR items.

^bSample median value.

^aSubject did not endorse any of the BEAR items.

^bSample median value.