Considering Communication Theory in Health Education and Behavior: Applying the Integrated Model of Advice-Giving in Friendship Sex Talks

BACKGROUND

Individuals may find it challenging and discomforting to communicate about sex because they may lack the skills and efficacy necessary to communicate their sexual desires. When individuals do have opportunities to have such discussions about sex in open and comfortable settings, they may seek informational support (i.e., advice) from a close friend because of knowledge sharing and past experiences navigating sex-related concerns.

AIMS

This research study used a communication theory-based quantitative analysis to examine how advice givers' prosocial behaviors influence their advice outcome messages during conversations about sex.

METHODS

A total of 264 participants completed a survey developed based on the Integrated Model of Advice-Giving (IMA). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Advice givers reported that their emotional supportive messages elicited better quality advice. Additionally, advice givers indicated that being attentive and understanding to others' feelings elicited better disclosures about their own sexual experiences. Structural equation modeling results suggested a good model fit for the theoretical model (comparative fit index [CFI] = .939, tucker-lewis fit index [TLI] = .931, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .056, 90% confidence interval: [.049, .063], and standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = .082).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the theoretical and pragmatic implications of communication theory in sexual health education interventions.

The impact of COVID-19-related anti-Asian discrimination on sexual communication and relationships among Asian individuals in the United States

Asian individuals in the United States have experienced heightened racial discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may reduce positive relationship processes and damage intimate relationships, including their sexual behaviors and quality. Guided by the chilling effect and Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction, this study explores how COVID-19-related anti-Asian discrimination moderates the relationships between sexual relationship power, sexual self-disclosure, and sexual satisfaction. Results (N = 294 partnered Asian adults) showed that as racial discrimination increased, the positive relationship between sexual relationship power and sexual self-disclosure decreased. As people experienced more racial discrimination, the positive effects of sexual self-disclosure on sexual satisfaction also decreased. Sexual power positively predicted sexual satisfaction via sexual communication, only when COVID-19-related discrimination was low or moderate. This study demonstrates how racial discrimination interacts with relational factors to predict Asian individuals' sexual communication and, in turn, sexual satisfaction. More public attention and efforts should be devoted to combating anti-Asian discrimination during the pandemic and beyond.

Stoicism and Verbal Aggression in Serial Arguments: The Roles of Perceived Power, Perceived Resolvability, and Frequency of Arguments

Impelled by a desire to control, suppress, and deny emotional response, stoic individuals may act out their pent-up emotions on relational partners by provoking conflict and/or engaging in partner-directed violent and aggressive behaviors. However, little is known regarding what factors can push stoics over the edge from remaining quiet or avoiding revealing frustrations to initiating aggressive behavior. This relationship between stoicism and aggression is important to consider in serial arguments, where the repetitive nature of a conflict may become increasingly difficult for stoics to manage internally. Here, we examined the influence of stoicism on verbal aggression in serial arguments between romantic partners. We additionally considered the effects of power, perceived resolvability, and argument frequency on the relationship between stoicism and verbal aggression. Using a survey design with a sample of 281 individuals involved in a romantic relationship, we observed that stoicism is positively associated with verbal aggression in serial arguments. While perceived power and resolvability did not moderate the relationship between stoicism and verbal aggression, argument frequency about a serial argument topic was a significant moderator. The results of this study imply that stoicism plays an important role in explaining aggressive tactics in conflict. A high argument frequency about a conflict topic may lead to a buildup of unexpressed emotions, particularly anger, in stoic individuals, resulting in an explosive release of violence and aggression toward a romantic partner. Unique results on the relationship between stoicism and power and directions for future research are discussed.

African American Women's Language Use in Response to Male Partners' Condom Negotiation Tactics

African American women are vulnerable for sexual health risk; thus, condom use is essential. Guided by research linking goals to communicative content, this study explored women's use of I-, you-, we-, and hedging language during condom negotiation. Female participants (N = 193) engaged in a condom negotiation role play with male confederates, where language use measures were coded. I-language was used the most frequently. Language use differed as a function of men's tactics, such that women primarily used I-language in response to verbal attacks, you-language in response to seduction, and I- and we-language in response to information seeking. Women who engaged in more recent condom use were more likely to use you-language, and when confederates attacked, they responded with more you-language and less hedging.

Incorporating Communication into the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Condom Use Among African American Women

The present research extends the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate how communication-related variables influence condom use intention and behavior among African American women. According to the TPB, attitudes, subjective norms, and self-efficacy are associated with behavioral intent, which predicts behavior. For women, it was argued that condom negotiation self-efficacy was more important than condom use self-efficacy in predicting consistent condom use. Moreover, an important environmental factor that affects condom use for African American women is fear or worry when negotiating condom use because the sex partners might leave, threaten, or abuse them. Fears associated with negotiating condom use were predicted to be negatively associated with attitudes, subjective norms, and self-efficacy. African American women (N = 560; M age = 20.58) completed assessments of TPB variables at baseline and condom use 3 months later. Condom negotiation self-efficacy was a significant indicator of behavioral intent, while condom use self-efficacy was not. Fear of condom negotiation was negatively associated with all TPB components, which was in turn significantly associated with behavioral intent and condom use. Implications for the TPB, safer sex literature, and sexually transmitted infection prevention intervention design are discussed.

Do As I Say: Using Communication Role-Plays to Assess Sexual Assertiveness Following an Intervention

Sexual risk reduction interventions are often ineffective for women who drink alcohol. The present study examines whether an alcohol-related sexual risk reduction intervention successfully trains women to increase assertive communication behaviors and decrease aggressive communication behaviors. Women demonstrated their communication skills during interactive role-plays with male role-play partners. Young, unmarried, and nonpregnant African American women (N = 228, ages 18-24) reporting unprotected vaginal or anal sex and greater than three alcoholic drinks in the past 90 days were randomly assigned to a control, a sexual risk reduction, or a sexual and alcohol risk reduction (NLITEN) condition. Women in the NLITEN condition significantly increased assertive communication behavior compared to women in the control condition, yet use of aggressive communicative behaviors was unchanged. These data suggest assertive communication training is an efficacious component of a sexual and alcohol risk reduction intervention. Public health practitioners and health educators may benefit from group motivational enhancement therapy (GMET) training and adding a GMET module to existing sexual health risk reduction interventions. Future research should examine GMET's efficacy in combination with other evidence-based interventions within other populations and examine talking over and interrupting one's sexual partner as an assertive communication behavior within sexual health contexts.

Sexual Risk Among African American Women: Psychological Factors and the Mediating Role of Social Skills

Prior research demonstrates a positive association between mental health problems and sexual risk for African American women. Using the social skills deficit hypothesis, we proposed that social skills mediate this relationship. African American women (n = 557, M age = 20.58) completed measures of depression, stress, emotional dysregulation, sexual risk behaviors, and perceptions of their social skills with their primary sexual partner. Social skills mediated the link between the mental health assessments and a composite sexual risk index. Theoretical implications of extending the social skill deficit hypothesis are discussed as well as implications for interventions.

Differences in sexual risk behaviors between lower and higher frequency alcohol-using African-American adolescent females

BACKGROUND

To examine differences between lower and higher frequency alcohol users in sexual behaviors and psychosocial correlates of risk for HIV among young African-American females.

METHODS

Data were collected from sexually active African-American females aged 15-20 years, seeking services at a STD clinic in Atlanta, GA, to assess sexual behavior, correlates of risk, and a non-disease biological marker of unprotected vaginal sex.

RESULTS

Number of drinking occasions was significantly related to three of four psychosocial correlates and with all self-reporting sexual behavior measures. Also, heavier drinking per occasion was associated with the presence of semen in vaginal fluid.

CONCLUSION

Non-abuse levels of drinking were related to increased sexual risk-taking in this sample of young African- American females. Incorporating messages about the intersection of alcohol use and sexual decision making into HIV/STD prevention programs would strengthen STD prevention messaging in this vulnerable population.

Parental competence and maltreatment: the curvilinear influence of plan complexity

A parent's ability to plan for child behavior problems was proposed to influence the relationship between parental competence and attitudes/beliefs about parenting behaviors. One hundred and one parents from three community sites completed questionnaires measuring parental competence, plan complexity, and attitudes/beliefs about parenting. Results indicated that plan complexity significantly influenced the relationship between parental competence and judgments about corporal punishment. The same influence existed between parental competence and power independence. We discuss these results with regard to forwarding theoretical work on planning processes, as well as practical implications for enhancing parent education curricula to better address the constructive management of difficult child behaviors.

An examination of dependence power, father involvement, and judgments about violence in an at-risk community sample of mothers

Individuals sometimes remain in dysfunctional, and even violent, relationships due to a perceived dependence on a partner. We examined the influence of dependence power judgments (defined by a combined assessment of mother commitment, perceived father commitment, and perceived father alternatives) in a community sample of mothers potentially bound to a relationship with the father of her child. We also considered the influence of perceived father involvement in the child's life on judgments related to dependence power. Using a survey design with a sample of 100 mothers (age: 16-43, M = 29.16, SD = 7.17 years old) enrolled in a local Early Head Start/Head Start program, we observed that a mother's perceived father involvement was positively associated with judgments of her dependence power. Furthermore, we observed that her assessment of dependence power was negatively associated with her tolerance for both physical and psychological violence as well as the use of destructive child discipline tactics.