communicating (and responding to) sexual health status reasons for std (non) disclosure交流(应对)性性病健康状况原因(非)披露.pdfVIP

Psychology, 2010, 1: 178-184 doi:10.4236/psych.2010.13024 Published Online August 2010 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/psych) Communicating (and Responding to) Sexual Health Status: Reasons for STD (Non) Disclosure 1 2 3 3 Tara M. Emmers-Sommer , Kathleen M. Warber , Stacey Passalacqua , Angela Luciano 1Department of Communication Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA; 2Wittenberg University, Springfield, USA; 3Department of Communication, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. Email: tara.emmerssommer@ Received May 18th, 2010; revised July 3rd, 2010; accepted July 6th, 2010. ABSTRACT This investigation examines the sexual health status of individuals and their attitudes toward STDs and STD disclosure (and reasons for nondisclosure) and response. In doing so, this study provides insight into young adults’ sexual prac- tices, attitudes, and behaviors. Two-hundred fifty-three adults of varying relational status participated in an online study about sexual health status, sexual health knowledge, sexual behaviors, relational factors, responses to STD dis- closure, reasons for nondisclosure, and if circumstances under which a STD was acquired affected partners’ reaction to the disclosure. Results indicated that, although undergraduate students are knowledgeable about safer sex practices and are concerned about STDs and birth control, few “always” practice safer sex. When considering relational status, STD status and disclosure of that status becomes complicated. However, findings of this investigation suggest that po- tential positive responses to a perceived negative disclosure (i.e., a positive STD status) are possible when certain rela- tional factors exist and the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the STD involve more external (e.g., didn’t know prior partner had STD) versus internal lo