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Wizła M, Lewczuk K. The Associations Between Attachment Insecurity and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder or Problematic Pornography Use: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:3419-3436. [PMID: 38898361 PMCID: PMC11390895 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-024-02904-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) was previously considered an attachment disorder, while emotion dysregulation was thought to potentially be a key characteristic of it. However, this theoretical model was not tested in previous empirical research. In our cross-sectional study, we tested whether emotional regulation (ER) difficulties can be adopted as an explanatory mechanism for the relationships between attachment avoidance and anxiety, as well as CSBD and its most prevalent behavioral presentation-problematic pornography use (PPU). Participants (n = 1002; Mage = 50.49 years, SD = 13.32; men: 50.2%) completed an online survey regarding the investigated variables. In mediation analyses, attachment avoidance and anxiety were treated as simultaneous predictors, ER difficulties as a mediating variable, with CSBD/PPU severity as dependent variables. Emotion regulation difficulties and attachment anxiety had a direct positive effect on both CSBD and PPU. The direct effect of attachment avoidance on PPU was non-significant, and significant for CSBD depending on the measure used. Moreover, all the relationships between both insecure attachment dimensions and CSBD/PPU symptom severity were at least partially mediated by ER difficulties. Our results corroborate the theoretical claim that ER difficulties may be a useful framework for explaining the impact of attachment insecurity on CSBD/PPU. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wizła
- Institute of Psychology, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Karol Lewczuk
- Institute of Psychology, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938, Warsaw, Poland
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Saint-Eloi Cadely H, Hutchinson MK, Sutherland MA. The influence of pre-college behaviors and parenting practices on alcohol misuse, sexual risk-taking, and adverse outcomes among first-year college women. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2024; 72:731-742. [PMID: 35472005 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2056416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although numerous reports document college students' risk-taking behaviors, few examine these behaviors in a developmental context. The purpose of this study was to examine female freshmen college students' pre-college experiences and parenting influences on first semester experiences with alcohol misuse, sexual risk-taking, and adverse outcomes, including violence. METHODS We surveyed 229 female freshman residential college students at the end of their first semester in college. RESULTS Participants who drank frequently in high school were more likely to binge drink in college and regret doing something while drinking. Mother-daughter closeness and parental discussions of sexual risks, personal safety and danger avoidance were associated with a reduced likelihood of regretting doing something while drinking, experiencing sexual violence, and having sex without a condom. Parental provision of alcohol was associated with alcohol misuse. CONCLUSION These findings provide a life course perspective on the development of risk behaviors and adverse outcomes during emerging adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Saint-Eloi Cadely
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, USA
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Zhao Y, Dennis JM, Houseman C. Predictors of hookup behaviors among Asian and Asian American college students in the United States. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38330383 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2024.2311121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Objective: With the rapid growth in the population of Asian and Asian American college students in the United States, there is a need for research examining their participation in potentially risky sexual behaviors in order to expand understanding of this group's needs. This study focused on attachment orientation and hookup motives as predictors of hookup behaviors, which involve engaging in sexual behaviors without expectation of a long-term relationship.Methods: Participants included 169 Asian or Asian American college students ranging in age from 18 to 27 years who completed an online survey.Results: Results indicated that over half of participants reported engaging in hookup behaviors. The strongest predictors of hookup behaviors were increased age, liberal sexual attitudes, motivations to achieve excitement/sexual enhancement, and motivations to find a long-term partner. However, attachment orientations did not predict hookup behaviors. Results provide insight into a profile of Asian American college students increasingly exploring sexuality throughout young adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushan Zhao
- Department of Mathematics, California State University, Long Beach, California, USA
| | - Jessica M Dennis
- Department of Child and Family Studies, California State University, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christinalee Houseman
- Department of Child and Family Studies, California State University, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Risley C, Douglas K, Karimi M, Brumfield J, Gartrell G, Vargas R, Zhang L. Trends in Sexual Risk Behavioral Responses among High School Students between Mississippi and the United States: 2001 to 2019 YRBSS. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2023; 93:500-507. [PMID: 36973577 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early sexual reproductive health (SRH) education is linked to a reduction in risky sexual behaviors. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are rising at alarming rates. Risky sexual behaviors, including initiation of sex before age 13, having more than four sexual partners, and lack of use of condoms, increase the chance of infection and cancer. Informing students about the link between risky behaviors and cancer is vital to reduce morbidity and mortality. METHODS A trend analysis of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) data between 2001 and 2019 was conducted. Results from four survey responses related to sexual risk behaviors among 9th to 12th grade in Mississippi students are compared with their US peers. RESULTS Between 2001 and 2019, favorable declines in 3 out of 4 sexual risk behaviors were observed. Declining prevalence was reported for "ever had sexual intercourse," "age of sexual initiation at age 13 or younger," and "having 4 or more sexual partners in their lifetime" are promising. However, fewer students report using condoms. The adjusted prevalence rates for Mississippi students in all 4 measures were higher than the national responses. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis supports the need for early skill-based sex education to promote health. States with increased behavioral risk among students should consider trends in data to improve education and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolann Risley
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing,| School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Center and Research Institute, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Kimberly Douglas
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing, Jackson, MS
| | - Masoumeh Karimi
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing, Jackson, MS
| | - Jennifer Brumfield
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Gordon Gartrell
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Rodolfo Vargas
- Office of Health Data and Research, Mississippi State Department of Health, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Lei Zhang
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing,| Professor, Data Science, John D. Bower School of Population Health,| Professor, Health Administration, School of Health Related Professions, Jackson, MS, United States
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Muñoz-García LE, Gómez-Berrocal C, Guillén-Riquelme A, Sierra JC. Measurement Invariance across Sexual Orientation for Measures of Sexual Attitudes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1820. [PMID: 36767186 PMCID: PMC9914940 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite the growing interest in the study of sexual attitudes across sexual orientation, few studies have tested whether the instruments used to measure them are invariant. This study examined measurement invariance (configural, weak, strong, and strict) across sexual orientation in three different sexual attitude scales: the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) to assess erotophilia, the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF) to assess attitudes toward sexual fantasies, and the Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory (NATMI) to assess negative attitudes toward masturbation. A total of 2293 Spanish adult men and women with different sexual orientations (i.e., heterosexual, bisexual, and gay) participated in the study. The results indicated strict invariance for HISF across sexual orientation and only weak invariance for SOS and NATMI. Differential item functioning was also found in two items of the NATMI scale. Evidence of validity was provided for the three scales that were studied.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Gómez-Berrocal
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
| | | | - Juan Carlos Sierra
- Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
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Knopp K, Huntington C, Owen J, Rhoades GK. Longitudinal Associations Among Adolescents' Sexual Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 52:233-241. [PMID: 36169774 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02425-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Youth sex and relationship education programs aim to improve adolescent well-being by changing their knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes regarding sex and their health. However, there is a gap in existing research linking these cognitive targets to relevant behaviors, and a particular dearth of data on links with sexual behaviors. The current study tested longitudinal links between cognitive factors related to sex (attitudes about sex, normative beliefs, risk-avoidant intentions, and confidence in refusal skills) and outcomes of sexual behaviors (recent sexual encounters, number of sexual partners, and frequency of condom use). Data were drawn from three waves of data from a panel study of US high-school students and were analyzed using cross-lagged structural equation modeling. We hypothesized direct, reciprocal links between intentions and behaviors, but this hypothesis was not supported. Instead, more conservative attitudes about sex emerged as the most consistent prospective predictor of fewer sexual encounters and sexual partners, though with small effect sizes (βs = - .08 to - .131, ps < .05). Further, bidirectional interrelationships were observed among several of the cognitive and behavioral variables over time. These results highlight attitudes about sex as a potentially useful intervention target, but also suggest that sex and relationship education curricula and evaluations should consider multiple pathways of links between cognition and behavior. Continued research is needed on causal links between adolescents' sexual attitudes, knowledge, intentions, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Knopp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | | | - Jesse Owen
- Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
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Anderson LE, Dingle GA, Moran C, Gullo MJ. Testing a psychosocial model of sexual communication and sexual risk-taking: A cross-sectional, online survey study of Australian University students. SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE 2022; 34:100788. [DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2022.100788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Cadely HSE, Spears E, Finnegan V, Kerpelman JL. Emotional and social cognitive predictors of sexual risk indicators among adolescents in committed and noncommitted partnerships. J Adolesc 2022; 94:892-905. [PMID: 35848738 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Little is known about the risks of casual sexual partnerships during adolescence despite many adolescents having sex within noncommitted relationships. We applied theories of adult attachment, planned behavior, and problem behavior to examine emotional and social cognitive predictors of variability in sexual risk indicators among adolescents in committed and noncommitted partnerships. METHOD Data were drawn from 801 adolescents (53.6% females; aged 14-20 years (M = 16.25)) living in a southern state in the United States. RESULTS Findings showed that healthy sex attitudes were related to knowing one's sexual partner longer; this association was stronger for females, particularly those in noncommitted sexual partnerships. Additionally, healthy sex attitudes predicted fewer sexual partners across adolescents, except for male adolescents in noncommitted sexual partnerships. Romantic attachment insecurity and constraining relationship beliefs had different associations with sexual risk indicators according to gender and relationship status. CONCLUSION Findings contribute to the current understanding of risks associated with adolescents' sexual engagement and offer insights into adolescents' casual sexual partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Saint-Eloi Cadely
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Erica Spears
- Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Vanessa Finnegan
- Student Affairs, Assessment and Strategic Planning, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Jennifer L Kerpelman
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
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