Abstract
Among 230 HIV+ women in New York City, 105 had been heterosexually active in the last 90 days and 54% of these reported unsafe sex. Contrary to our hypotheses based on relational theory, respondents with steady partners were more likely to have unprotected sex than nonpartnered women. However, among respondents with steady partners, the degree of commitment to the relationship was positively associated with condom use. The only other correlate of unprotected sex was current drug use. Almost all steady partners were aware of the woman's HIV status, and, contrary to our hypothesis, respondents were not more likely to have protected sex with HIV− than HIV+ steady partners. The discussion considers self-in-relation theory, culture, power, and contextualistic behaviorism.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Amaro, H.(1988).Consideration for prevention of HIV infection among Hispanic women.Psychology of Women Quarterly, 12, 429–443.
Amaro, H.(1995).Love, sex, and power: Considering women's realities in HIV prevention.American Psychologist, 50, 437–447.
Beauboeuf, T.M.(1998, August).”I am because we are”: The extended self among African American women teachers committed to social justice.Poster presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Society, Washington, DC.
Belenky, M., Clinchy, B., Goldberger, N., & Tarule, J.(1986).Women's ways of knowing: The development of self, voice, and mind.New York: Basic Books.
Buunk, B.P., & Bakker, A.B.(1997).Commitment to the relationship, extradyadic sex, and AIDS prevention behavior.Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 1241–1257.
Chavez, M.J.T.(1994).Latinas.In L. Comas-Diaz & B. Greene (Eds.), Women of color: Integrating ethnic and gender identities in psychotherapy (pp.114–138).New York: Guilford Press.
Comas-Diaz, L.(1989).Culturally relevant issues and treatment implications for Hispanics.In D.R. Koslow & E. Salett (Eds.), Crossing cultures in mental health (pp.31–48).Washington, DC: Society for International Education Training and Research.
Comas-Diaz, L.(1994).An integrative approach.In L. Comas-Diaz & B. Greene (Eds.), Women of color: Integrating ethnic and gender identities in psychotherapy (pp.287–318).New York: Guilford Press.
Comas-Diaz, L., & Greene, B.(Eds.).(1994).Women of color: Integrated ethnic and gender identities in psychotherapy.New York: Guilford Press.
Des Jarlais, D.C., Tross, S., & Friedman, S.R.(1987).Behavioral change in response to AIDS.In G.P. Wormser, R.E. Stahl, & E.J. Battone (Eds.), AIDS and other manifestations of HIV infection (pp.36–47).Park Ridge, NJ: Noyes Publications.
Espin, O.M., & Gawelek, M.A.(1992).Women's diversity: Ethnicity, race, class and gender in theories of feminist psychology.In L. Brown & M. Ballou (Eds.), Personality and psychopathology: Feminist reappraisals (pp.88–107).New York: Guilford Press.
Gilligan, C.(1982).In a different voice: Psychological theory and women's development.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Gomez, C.A., & VanOss Marin, B.(1996).Gender, culture, and power: Barriers to HIVprevention strategies for women.Journal of Sex Research, 33, 355–362.
Greene, B.(1994).African American women.In L. Comas-Diaz & B. Greene (Eds.), Womenof color: Integrating ethnic and gender identities in psychotherapy.New York: Guilford Press.
Hines, P.M., & Boyd-Franklin, N.(1982).Black families.In M. McGoldrick, J.K. Pearce, & J. Giordano (Eds.), Ethnicity and family therapy (pp.84–107).New York: Guilford Press.
Hord, F., & Lee, J.(1995).I am because we are: Readings in Black philosophy.Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press.
Jordan, J.V.(Ed.).(1997).Women's growth in diversity: More writings from the Stone Center.New York: Guilford Press.
Jordan, J.V., Kaplan, A.G., Miller, J.B., Stiver, I.P., & Surrey, J.L.(1991).Women's growth in connection: Writings from the Stone Center.New York: Guilford Press.
Kalichman, S.C., Carey, M.P., & Johnson, B.T.(1996).Prevention of sexually transmitted HIV infection: A meta-analytic review of the behavioral outcome literature.Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 18, 6–15.
Kondo, D.(1990).Crafting selves: Power, gender, and discourse of identity in a Japanese workplace.Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Landrine, H.(1995).Introduction: Cultural diversity, contextualism, and feminist psychology.In H. Landrine (Ed.), Bringing cultural diversity to feminist psychology (pp.1–20).Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Marks, G., Cantero, P.J., & Simoni, J.M.(1998).Is acculturation associated with sexual risk behaviors? An investigation of HIV-positive Latino men and women.AIDS Care, 10, 283–295.
Margillo, G.A., & Imahori, T.T.(1998).Understanding safer sex negotiation in a group of low-income African-American women.In N.L. Roth & L.K. Fuller (Eds.), Women and AIDS: Negotiating safer practices, care, and representation (pp.43–69).New York: Haworth.
Marín, G., & VanOss Marín, B.(1991).Research with Hispanic populations.Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Mays, V.M., & Cochran, S.D.(1988).Issues in the perception of AIDS risk and risk reduction activities by Black and Hispanic/Latina Women.American Psychologist, 43, 949–957.
Miller, J.B.(1986).Toward a new psychology of women (2nd ed.).Boston: Beacon.
Miller, J.B., & Stiver, I.P.(1993).A relational approach to understanding women's lives and problems.Psychiatric Annals, 23, 424–431.
Miller, J.B., & Stiver, I.P.(1997).The healing connection: How women form relationships in therapy and in life.Boston: Beacon.
Moore, J.S., Harrison, J.S., & Doll, L.S.(1994) Interventions for sexually active, heterosexual women in the United States.In R.J. DiClemente & J.L. Peterson (Eds.), Preventing AIDS: Theories and methods of behavioral interventions (pp.243–265), New York: Plenum Press.
Morrill, A.C., Ickovics, J.R., Golubchikov, V.V., Beren, S.E., & Rodin, J.(1996).Safer sex: Social and psychological predictors of behavioral maintenance and change among heterosexual women.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 819–828.
Nobles, W.(1973).Psychological research and the Black self-concept:Acritical review.Journal of Social Issues, 29, 11–31.
North, R.L., & Rothenberg, K.H.(1993).Partner notification and the threat of domestic violence against women with HIV infection.New England Journal of Medicine, 629, 1194–1196.
Peragallo, N.(1996).Latino women and AIDS risk.Public Health Nursing, 13, 217–222.
Raffaelli, M., & Suarez-Al-Adam, M.(1998).Reconsidering the HIV/AIDS prevention needs of Latino women in the United States.In N.L. Roth & L.K. Fuller (Eds.), Women and AIDS:Negotiating safer practices, care, and representation (pp.7–41).NewYork: Haworth.
Rosnow, R.L., & Georgoudi, M.(1986).Contextualism and understanding in behavioral science.New York: Praeger.
San Doval, A., Duran, R., O'Donnell, L., & O'Donnell, C.(1995).Barriers to condom use in primary and nonprimary relationships among Hispanic STD clinic patients.Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17, 385–397.
Schwarzer, R., Dunkel-Schetter, C., & Kemeny, M.(1994).The multidimensional nature of received social support in gay men at risk of HIV infection and AIDS.American Journal of Community Psychology, 22, 319–339.
Sherr, L., Hankins, C., & Bennett, L.(1996).(Eds.).AIDS as a gender issue: Psychosocial perspectives.Social aspects of AIDS.London: Taylor & Francis.
Simoni, J.M., Mason, H.R.C., Marks, G., Ruiz, M.S., & Richardson, J.L.(1995).Women living with HIV: Sexual behaviors and counseling experiences.Women and Health, 23, 17–26.
Simoni, J.M., Weinberg, B.A., & Nero, D.K.(1999).Training community members to conduct survey interviews: Notes from a study of seropositive women.AIDS Education and Prevention: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 11, 87–88.
Sobo, E.J.(1993).Inner-city women and AIDS: The psycho-social benefits of unsafe sex.Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 17, 455–485.
Sobo, E.J.(1995).Finance, romance, social support, and condom use among impoverished inner-city women.Human Organization, 54, 115–128.
Travers, M., & Bennett, L.(1996).AIDS, women and power.In L. Sherr, C. Hankins, & L. Bennett (Eds.), AIDS as a gender issue: Psychosocial perspectives.Social aspects of AIDS (pp 64–77).London: Taylor & Francis.
VanOss Marin, B.(1996).Cultural issues in HIV prevention for Latinos: Should we try to change gender roles? In S. Oskamp & S.C. Thompson (Eds.)., Understanding and preventing HIV risk behavior: Safer sex and drug use.The Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology(pp.157–176).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Ventura, S.J., & Taffel, S.M.(1985).Childbearing characteristics of the U.S.-and foreignborn Hispanic mothers.Public Health Reports, 100, 647–652.
Weissmann, G.(1991).AIDS prevention for women at risk: Experience from a national demonstration research program.Journal of Primary Prevention, 12, 49–63.
Wingood, G.M., & DiClemente, R.J.(1996).HIV sexual risk reduction interventions for women: A review.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12, 209–217.
Worth, D.(1989).Sexual decision-making and AIDS:Why condom promotion among vulnerable women is likely to fail.Studies in Family Planning,20, 297–307.
Worth, D.(1990).Minority women and AIDS: Culture, race, and gender.In D.A. Feldman (Ed.)., Culture and AIDS (pp.111–135).New York: Praeger.
Wyatt, G.E.(1994).The sociocultural relevance of sex research: Challenges for the 1990s and beyond.American Psychologist, 49, 748–754.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Simoni, J.M., Walters, K.L. & Nero, D.K. Safer Sex Among HIV+ Women: The Role of Relationships. Sex Roles 42, 691–708 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007055607881
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007055607881