Illuminating the Context and Circumstances of Male Couples Establishing a Sexual Agreement in Their Relationship

A sexual agreement is an explicit mutual understanding made between two partners about which sexual and relational behaviors they agree to engage in within and/or outside of their relationship. Factors that prompt male couples to form a sexual agreement and under what circumstances remain underinvestigated, yet are important considerations for development of couples-based sexual health and HIV prevention interventions. By using thematic analysis with qualitative dyadic data from a convenience sample of 29 HIV-negative male couples, the present study sought to describe the timing and investigate the context and circumstances that led male couples to establish a sexual agreement in their relationship at both the individual and couple levels, and by agreement type. Themes identified for when a sexual agreement was formed included within the first 6 months, and after 6 months in the relationship. Themes related to context and circumstances of couples’ sexual agreement formation were as follows: (a) desire for sexual exploration, (b) arisen circumstances or events with other men, (c) influences from past relationship(s) and/or other couples (i.e., peers), (d) to protect against HIV, and (e) purposeful conversations versus understood. Findings suggest HIV prevention efforts should include skill-building exercises to help improve communication and promote sex positivity within male couples’ relationships.

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A qualitative exploration of young people and prison officers’ experiences of empathy within a young offenders’ institution

Journal of Criminological Research Policy and Practice ◽

10.1108/jcrpp-01-2021-0001 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Emily Anne Tarrant ◽

Alison Torn

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Subjective Experience ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Institutional Investment ◽

Content Type ◽

The Individual ◽

Relationship Factors ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to explore the ways in which young people and prison staff (Prison Officers) within a youth custodial establishment experience empathy. Previous research tends to view empathy as a stable trait and one which people can develop through individual-centred therapy. There has been little consideration of the impact of relationship factors and context in relation to empathy experience and expression. The current study aims to address this by exploring the role of the custodial context in shaping empathy, including the potential impact of relationships, environmental factors and culture. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was used to enable breadth and depth in the exploration of this area. Individual, semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of three young people and three Prison Officers. Data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis informed by the guidelines of Braun and Clarke (2006) and King and Horrocks (2010). Findings Constructed themes included “constructions of empathy”, “recipe for empathy”, “institutional investment”, “the value of empathy” and “doing empathy”. Together, they provide detailed insight into the interplay of personal and wider contextual factors influencing the experience of empathy in a custodial setting. The findings suggest that the way in which young people and staff experience empathy in the custodial environment is unique. The findings suggest that empathy takes place within the context of relationships and is influenced by the nature of those relationships, along with the wider social context within which it occurs. Practical implications The findings of the current study support a move away from understanding empathy as an individual personality trait and instead viewing it as a dynamic experience that is changeable based upon the relationship and the context within which it occurs. The findings suggest that interventions aiming to develop empathy should look beyond the level of the individual and the relationship and focus upon developing environments that are supportive of empathy. Originality/value This study provides unique insights into the subjective experience of empathy in a custodial setting, presenting as one of the first to take a more holistic approach to understand this phenomenon.

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Proatividade: influência das condições para a criatividade considerando a mediação da autoeficácia para criar

Revista de Administração da UFSM ◽

10.5902/1983465931986 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 602-624

Author(s):

Heila Magali da Silva Veiga ◽

Elaine Rabelo Neiva ◽

Maria De Fátima Bruno-Faria

Keyword(s):

Structural Equations ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Individual Level ◽

Manager Support ◽

The Individual ◽

Creative Self ◽

Favorable Conditions ◽

The Relationship ◽

Level Of Analysis

The main goal of this study was to investigate the influence of the perception of favorable (manager support, challenging activities, strategy, coworkers, freedom, and physical environment) and unfavorable conditions (manager inadequate attitude, rules, and lack of time) for creativity upon the criterion variable, proactivity, taking into account the mediating effect of “Creative Self-Efficacy (CSE)”. A convenience sample of 297 participants from different organizations took part in this study and the model proposed was tested through the modeling of structural equations, employing the individual level of analysis. The findings have shown that all the dimensions of the aforementioned variable make a significant contribution to proactivity, with the highest contribution being the manager support. The mediating hypothesis has shown that CSE mediates the relationship between the favorable conditions for creativity (manager support, challenging activities, strategy, and coworkers) and proactivity, indicating that the influence of context in proactivity is maximized by CSE.

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HIV Ed: A Global Perspective

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780190632366.013.65 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Ralph J. DiClemente ◽

Nihari Patel

Keyword(s):

Hiv Prevention ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Risk Reduction ◽

Risk Behaviors ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Global Perspective ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Individual Level ◽

Prevention Interventions ◽

The Individual

At the end of 2016, there were approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV worldwide with 1.6 million people being newly infected. In the same year, 1 million people died from HIV-related causes globally. The vast prevalence of HIV calls for an urgent need to develop and implement prevention programs aimed at reducing risk behaviors. Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological model provides an organizing framework to discuss HIV prevention interventions implemented at the individual, relational, community, and societal level. Historically, many interventions in the field of public health have targeted the individual level. Individual-level interventions promote behavior change by enhancing HIV knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs and by motivating the adoption of preventative behaviors. Relational-level interventions focus on behavior change by using peers, partners, or family members to encourage HIV-preventative practices. At the community-level, prevention interventions aim to reduce HIV vulnerability by changing HIV-risk behaviors within schools, workplaces, or neighborhoods. Lastly, societal interventions attempt to change policies and laws to enable HIV-preventative practices. While previous interventions implemented in each of these domains have proven to be effective, a multipronged approach to HIV prevention is needed such that it tackles the complex interplay between the individual and their social and physical environment. Ideally, a multipronged intervention strategy would consist of interventions at different levels that complement each other to synergistically reinforce risk reduction while simultaneously creating an environment that promotes behavior change. Multilevel interventions provide a promising avenue for researchers and program developers to consider all levels of influences on an individual’s behavior and design a comprehensive HIV risk-reduction program.

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Perceptions and Definitions of Power Within the Context of HIV-Negative Male Couples’ Relationships

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988315596038 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 801-810 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jason W. Mitchell ◽

Amber I. Sophus

Keyword(s):

Shared Responsibility ◽

Heterosexual Couples ◽

Anal Sex ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Relationship Type ◽

Male Couples ◽

Condomless Anal Sex ◽

Prevention Interventions ◽

The Relationship ◽

Hiv Negative

Examining dynamics within relationships is critical for development of effective HIV prevention interventions for male couples. The dynamic of power has received little attention in research with male couples, though power has been reported to affect HIV risk among heterosexual couples. To help address this knowledge gap, the present cross-sectional analysis used mixed methods with dyadic data from 142 HIV-negative male couples to (1) assess partnered men’s perception of who has the most power in their relationship and why, (2) examine whether partners concur about who has the most power and their reasoning for this selection, and (3) assess whether male couples’ concurrence about who has the most power is associated with their engagement of condomless anal sex within and/or outside the relationship, type of relationship, and aspects of their sexual agreement. Individual- and couple-level responses about who has the most power were quantitatively assessed, whereas for why, their responses were coded qualitatively. Fifty-six percent of couples concurred about who has the most power in their relationship and of these, many said it was equal. Regarding why, themes of responses ranged from “compromise” and “shared responsibility” for those who concurred about who has the most power versus “dominant/compliant personality” and “money” among the couples who disagreed about who has the most power in their relationship. Concordance about who has the most power was only associated with condomless anal sex within the relationship. Further research is warranted to examine how power may affect other dynamics of male couples’ relationships and risk-related behaviors.

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Condom Use Efficacy and Sexual Communication Skills Among African American College Women

Health Promotion Practice ◽

10.1177/1524839916676253 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 287-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sarah J. Javier ◽

Jasmine A. Abrams ◽

Melanie P. Moore ◽

Faye Z. Belgrave

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Hiv Prevention ◽

Condom Use ◽

College Women ◽

Sexual Communication ◽

Intervention Effect ◽

Condom Negotiation ◽

Prevention Interventions ◽

The Relationship

Despite condom use being the most protective measure against the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), little is known about the intermediary relationships between condom negotiation, assertive sexual communication, and condom use efficacy. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between these constructs within the context of an HIV prevention intervention. We examined two samples of African American college women participating in two HIV prevention interventions, one of which was based on social learning theory ( N = 214). Data collected at intervention posttest and 3-month follow-up were analyzed. Findings revealed that condom use efficacy at posttest fully mediated the relationship between intervention effect and assertive sexual communication at 3-month follow-up. In addition, condom use efficacy at posttest fully mediated the relationship between intervention effect and condom negotiation at 3-month follow-up. Implications of the importance of experiential learning, in combination with behavior observance, on the maintenance of condom protective behaviors are discussed. Findings have the potential to inform clinic and community-based HIV prevention interventions conducted among African American women.

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Suicidal Ideation and Schizophrenia: Contribution of Appraisal, Stigmatization, and Cognition

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0706743717715207 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 62 (10) ◽

pp. 726-734 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Emmanuel Stip ◽

Jean Caron ◽

Michel Tousignant ◽

Yves Lecomte

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Multiple Regression ◽

Cognitive Dysfunction ◽

Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Individual ◽

The Relationship

Objective: To predict suicidal ideation in people with schizophrenia, certain studies have measured its relationship with the variables of defeat and entrapment. The relationships are positive, but their interactions remain undefined. To further their understanding, this research sought to measure the relationship between suicidal ideation with the variables of loss, entrapment, and humiliation. Method: The convenience sample included 30 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The study was prospective (3 measurement times) during a 6-month period. Results were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. Results: The contribution of the 3 variables to the variance of suicidal ideation was not significant at any of the 3 times (T1: 16.2%, P = 0.056; T2: 19.9%, P = 0.117; T3: 11.2%, P = 0.109). Further analyses measured the relationship between the variables of stigmatization, perceived cognitive dysfunction, symptoms, depression, self-esteem, reason to live, spirituality, social provision, and suicidal ideation. Stepwise multiple regression demonstrated that the contribution of the variables of stigmatization and perceived cognitive dysfunction to the variance of suicidal ideation was significant at all 3 times (T1: 41.7.5%, P = 0.000; T2: 35.2%, P = 0.001; T3: 21.5%, P = 0.012). Yet, over time, the individual contribution of the variables changed: T1, stigmatization (β = 0.518; P = 0.002); T2, stigmatization (β = 0.394; P = 0.025) and perceived cognitive dysfunction (β = 0.349; P = 0.046). Then, at T3, only perceived cognitive dysfunction contributed significantly to suicidal ideation (β = 0.438; P = 0.016). Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of the contribution of the variables of perceived cognitive dysfunction and stigmatization in the onset of suicidal ideation in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

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Accent Policy and Accent Modification Enterprises as Potential Indicators of Intercultural Power Relations: A Call for an Updated Research Agenda

Perspectives on Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Related Disorders ◽

10.1044/gics3.1.22 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 22-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brynne D. Ovalle ◽

Rahul Chakraborty

Keyword(s):

International Relations ◽

Identity Construction ◽

Social Theory ◽

Power Relations ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Cultural Organization ◽

Using Data ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

This article has two purposes: (a) to examine the relationship between intercultural power relations and the widespread practice of accent discrimination and (b) to underscore the ramifications of accent discrimination both for the individual and for global society as a whole. First, authors review social theory regarding language and group identity construction, and then go on to integrate more current studies linking accent bias to sociocultural variables. Authors discuss three examples of intercultural accent discrimination in order to illustrate how this link manifests itself in the broader context of international relations (i.e., how accent discrimination is generated in situations of unequal power) and, using a review of current research, assess the consequences of accent discrimination for the individual. Finally, the article highlights the impact that linguistic discrimination is having on linguistic diversity globally, partially using data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and partially by offering a potential context for interpreting the emergence of practices that seek to reduce or modify speaker accents.

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Investigating the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Stigma Among Young Adults With History of Suicide Attempts

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000399 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 265-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Meshan Lehmann ◽

Matthew R. Hilimire ◽

Lawrence H. Yang ◽

Bruce G. Link ◽

Jordan E. DeVylder

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Self Esteem ◽

High Risk Population ◽

High Functioning ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

History Of ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Abstract. Background: Self-esteem is a major contributor to risk for repeated suicide attempts. Prior research has shown that awareness of stigma is associated with reduced self-esteem among people with mental illness. No prior studies have examined the association between self-esteem and stereotype awareness among individuals with past suicide attempts. Aims: To understand the relationship between stereotype awareness and self-esteem among young adults who have and have not attempted suicide. Method: Computerized surveys were administered to college students (N = 637). Linear regression analyses were used to test associations between self-esteem and stereotype awareness, attempt history, and their interaction. Results: There was a significant stereotype awareness by attempt interaction (β = –.74, p = .006) in the regression analysis. The interaction was explained by a stronger negative association between stereotype awareness and self-esteem among individuals with past suicide attempts (β = –.50, p = .013) compared with those without attempts (β = –.09, p = .037). Conclusion: Stigma is associated with lower self-esteem within this high-functioning sample of young adults with histories of suicide attempts. Alleviating the impact of stigma at the individual (clinical) or community (public health) levels may improve self-esteem among this high-risk population, which could potentially influence subsequent suicide risk.

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