Mental representation of self in relationships indirectly affects young Black women’s engagement in risky sexual behaviors through psychosocial HIV/STI risk factors

ABSTRACT

Black females are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infections (STIs), though individual-level sexual risk factors do not appear to explain racial/ethnic HIV incidence rate disparities. The current study examined the roles of attachment representations, working models of self and others, with psychosocial risk factors related to population-level sexual network features in association with risky sexual behaviors. A total of 560 Black emerging adult females (M age = 20.58, SD = 1.89) enrolling in a behavioral HIV prevention intervention trial completed the baseline assessment used in the current analyses. A series of multiple mediator models examined indirect effects of working models of self and others on sexual risk engagement through the following psychosocial HIV/STI risk factors: (a) partner communication self-efficacy, (b) fear of condom negotiation, (c) peer norms for risky sexual behavior, (d) partner trust and (e) sex-related alcohol expectancies. Results indicated an indirect effect of working model of self on the following: condom use with boyfriend/main partner through peer norms for risky sex (ab = .08, 95% CI [.02, .17]), any alcohol use prior to sex through peer norms for risky sex (ab = −.06, 95% CI [−.12, −.02]) and alcohol use prior to sex through sex-related alcohol expectancies (ab = −.13, 95% CI [−.21, −.05]). Findings provided evidence of a direct association between working model of self and each psychosocial HIV/STI risk factor included in the mediation models. Working model of self may help identify Black females at elevated risk for HIV/STI through these psychosocial risk factors.

KEYWORDS:

• Attachment
• emerging adulthood
• risky sexual behavior
• HIV prevention
• Black
• females

Data availability statement

Access to data available upon request to senior author (Ralph J. DiClemente).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Working model of self scores obtained by ratings of (secure + dismissive) – (preoccupied + fearful); Working model of others scores obtained by ratings of (secure + preoccupied – (dismissive + fearful).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [R01AA018096].