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Adult Attachment and High‐Risk Sexual Behavior Among HIV‐Positive Patients
Author(s) -
Ciesla Jeffrey A.,
Roberts John E.,
Hewitt Ross G
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2004.tb02539.x
Subject(s) - psychology , attachment theory , insecure attachment , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , sexual behavior , depressive symptoms , clinical psychology , interpersonal communication , sexual orientation , interpersonal relationship , developmental psychology , risky sexual behavior , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , anxiety , sexually active , immunology
The present study investigated the relationship between adult attachment style and sexual behavior among HIV‐positive patients. HIV‐positive (HIV+) participants ( N = 48) completed questionnaires assessing number of sexual partners, adult attachment, self‐esteem, and depressive symptoms. Results revealed that insecure attachment styles (particularly negative attachment representations of self and fearful attachment) were associated with having multiple sexual partners, including at‐risk HIV‐negative (HIV‐) partners. These relationships remained significant after controlling for sexual orientation, self‐esteem, and depressive symptomatology. These results suggest that interpersonal issues may play a key role in high‐risk sexual behavior among HIV+ individuals.