| Publication Abstract Display | | Type: Published Abstract | | Title: Disclosure of HIV seropositivity to sex partners: Social Cognitive Theory. | | Authors: Semple S, Patterson T, Shaw W, Grant I | | Year: 1998 | | Publication: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | | Volume: 20 Issue: S Pages: S148 | | Abstract:Disclosure of one;s HIV serostatus to sexual partners may increase likelihood that serodiscordant individuals will engage in protected sex. Despite its importance to prevention efforts, only a few studies focused on self-disclosure of seropositvity to sexual partners. The present study examines disclosure behavior from the perspective of social cognitive theory, which contends that knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies are mechanisms that regulate behavior. The goals of this study were to: 1) describe patterns of disclosure to sexual partners among HIV+ individuals; and 2) assess the extent to which knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies influence disclosure behavior. The sample comprised 139 HIV+ men and women. Participants were primarily male (91%), Caucasian (64.7%), gay or bisexual (86%), well educated, with an average age of 36.3 years. All participants had been sexually active during the past 4 months, and reported at least one incidence of unprotected vaginal, or, or anal sex. Overall, 46% of the sample disclosed their seropositivity to all sexual partners before having sex during the past 4 months; 39% disclosed to some; and 15% disclosed to none. Disclosure rates varied according to relationship type: spouse or steady partner (96%), casual partner (62%), and anonymous partner (29%). Disclosure rates did not differ significantly by ethnicity, education, marital status, or sexual orientation; however, disclosure rates were significantly lower for those who had multiple sexual partners during the past 4 months. Multiple regression analysis predicting disclosure behavior on the basis of knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies revealed that only self-efficacy was associated with disclosure behavior. Safer sex interventions aimed at increasing disclosure behavior should focus on enhancing self-efficacy in this activity domain. |
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