A Brief Report on the Association between Dissociation during Sex and Condom Use Self-Efficacy among Women Residing in Domestic Violence Shelters

Abstract

Objective: Female survivors of intimate partner violence have greater risk for contracting HIV/STI’s and experiencing dissociation. However, no studies have examined the association between dissociation and condom use self-efficacy in this population. This study explored whether dissociation during sex was negatively associated with condom use self-efficacy. Methods: Thirty-five women (88% African American) who were residing in domestic violence shelters in the United States completed questionnaires. Results: There was a negative correlation between dissociative experiences during sex and condom use self-efficacy, r = −0.62, n = 35, p < .01. Conclusions: Findings suggest that dissociation during sex interferes with abused women’s condom use self-efficacy.

Keywords:

• Dissociation
• condom use self-efficacy
• intimate partner violence
• HIV prevention
• women

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Acknowledgements

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. This study was approved by the institutional review board of Rutgers University.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Notes

1 Table showing descriptive and analytic results described in text may be obtained in the supplementary material.

Additional information

Funding

This pilot study was supported by competitive grant funding from the Center for Prevention Implementation Methodology (Ce-Pim) for drug abuse and sexual risk behavior (P30-DA027828) awarded to Courtenay E. Cavanaugh.