Top

Published in:

01-09-2006 | Original Paper

Sexual Compulsivity in a Sample of HIV-Positive Methamphetamine-using Gay and Bisexual Men

Authors: Shirley J. Semple, Jim Zians, Igor Grant, Thomas L. Patterson

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 5/2006

Abstract

Little research has been done on the relationship between sexual compulsivity and the sexual risk behaviors of methamphetamine (meth) users. This exploratory study sought to identify correlates of sexual compulsivity in a sample of 217 HIV-positive meth-using gay and bisexual men. Participants reported a mean score of 2.4 on the Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS) (SD=.76, range 1–4). Sexual compulsivity was positively associated with high-risk sexual behaviors (e.g., number of unprotected sex acts with anonymous partners, total number of HIV-negative or unknown serostatus partners). In multivariate analyses, higher scores on sexual compulsivity were associated with older age, meth use before or during sex, visits to sex clubs and street corners to find sex partners, lower self-efficacy for condom use, lower levels of self-esteem, higher scores on a measure of disinhibition, and a greater number of HIV-negative or unknown serostatus partners. The results suggest that more attention should be focused on sexual compulsivity and its correlates to determine how they may contribute to resistance to sexual behavior change in this high-risk population.

Acton, G. S. (2003). Measurement of impulsivity in a hierarchical model of personality traits: Implications for substance use. Substance Use and Misuse, 38, 67–83.PubMedCrossRef

Bancroft, J., & Vukadinovic, Z. (2004). Sexual addiction, sexual compulsivity, or what? Toward a theoretical model. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 225–234.PubMed

Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Clinical, Experimental and Theoretical Aspects. New York: Harper and Row.

Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and Emotional Disorder. New York: Hoeber.

Benotsch, E. G., Kalichman, S. C., & Kelly, J. A. (1999). Sexual compulsivity and substance use in HIV-seropositive men who have sex with men: Prevalence and predictors of high risk behaviors. Addictive Behaviors, 24, 857–868.PubMedCrossRef

Benotsch, E. G., Kalichman, S. C., & Pinkerton, S. D. (2001). Sexual compulsivity in HIV-positive men and women: Prevalence, predictors, and consequences of high-risk behaviors. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 8, 83–99.CrossRef

Binson, D., Woods, W., Pollack, L., Paul, J., Stall, R., & Catania, J. (2001). Differential HIV risk in bathhouses and public cruising areas. American Journal of Public Health, 91, 1482–1486.PubMedCrossRef

Bucholz, K. K., Cadoret, R., Cloninger, R. D., Dinwiddie, S. H., Hesselbrock, V. M., Nurnberger, J. I., et al. (1994). A new semi-structured psychiatric interview for use in genetic linkage studies. A report on the reliability of the SSAGA. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 55, 149–158.

Bucholz, K. K., Hesselbrock, V. M., Shayka, J. J., Nurnberger, J. I., Schuckit, M. A., Schmidt, I., et al. (1995). Reliability of individual diagnostic criterion items for psychoactive substance dependence and the impact on diagnosis. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 56, 500–505.PubMed

Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Cooper, A., Scherer, C. R., Boies, S., & Gordon, B. (1999). Sexuality on the internet: From sexual exploration to pathological expression. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 30, 154–164.CrossRef

Dodge, B., Reece, M., Cole, S. L., & Standfort, T. G. M. (2004). Sexual compulsivity among heterosexual college students. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 343–350.PubMedCrossRef

Gold, S. N., & Heffner, C. L. (1998). Sexual addiction: Many conceptions, minimal data. Clinical Psychology Review, 18, 367–381.PubMedCrossRef

Golden, M. R., Brewer, D. D., Kurth, A., Holmes, K. K., & Handsfield, H. H. (2004). United States: Importance of sex partner HIV status in HIV risk assessment among men who have sex with men. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 36, 734–742.PubMedCrossRef

Gruenewald, T. L., Kemeny, M. E., Aziz, N., & Fahey, J. L. (2004). Acute threat to the social self: shame, social self-esteem, and cortisol activity. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66, 915–924.PubMedCrossRef

Halkitis, P. N., Fischgrund, B. N., & Parsons, J. T. (2005). Explanations for methamphetamine use among gay and bisexual men in New York City. Substance Use and Misuse, 40, 1331–1345.PubMedCrossRef

Halkitis, P. N., Shrem, M. T., & Martin, F. W. (2005). Sexual behavior patterns of methamphetamine-using gay and bisexual men. Substance Use and Misuse, 40, 703–719.PubMedCrossRef

Hyde, J. S., & DeLamater, J. D. (2004). Understanding human sexuality. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Kalichman, S. C., & Cain, D. (2004). The relationship between indicators of sexual compulsivity and high risk sexual practices among men and women receiving services from a sexually transmitted infection clinic. Journal of Sex Research, 41, 235–241.PubMed

Kalichman, S. C., Greenberg, J., & Abel, G. G. (1997). HIV-seropositive men who engage in high risk sexual behavior: Psychological characteristics and implications for prevention. AIDS Care, 9, 441–450.PubMedCrossRef

Kalichman, S. C., Johnson, J. R., Adair, V., Rompa, D., Multhauf, K., & Kelly, J. A. (1994). Sexual sensation seeking: Scale development and predicting AIDS-risk behavior among homosexually active men. Journal of Personality Assessment, 62, 385–397.PubMedCrossRef

Kalichman, S. C., & Rompa, D. (1995). Sexual sensation seeking and sexual compulsivity scales: Reliability, validity, and predicting HIV risk behavior. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65, 586–601.PubMedCrossRef

Kalichman, S. C., & Rompa, D. (2001). The sexual compulsivity scale: Further development and use with HIV-positive persons. Journal of Personality Assessment, 76, 379–395.PubMedCrossRef

Kurtz, S. P. (2005). Post-circuit blues: motivations and consequences of crystal meth use among gay men in Miami. AIDS and Behavior, 9, 63–72.PubMedCrossRef

Nugent, W. R., & Thomas, J. W. (1993). Validation of a clinical measure of self-esteem. Research on Social Work Practice, 3, 191–207.CrossRef

Parsons, J. T., Bimbi, D., & Halkitis, P. N. (2001). Sexual compulsivity among gay/bisexual male escorts who advertise on the internet. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 8, 101–112.CrossRef

Parsons, J. T. and Halkitis, P. N. (2002). Sexual and drug-using practices of HIV-positive men who frequent public and commercial sex environments. AIDS Care, 14, 815–826.PubMedCrossRef

Reback, C. J. (1997). The social construction of a gay drug: Methamphetamine use among gay and bisexual males in Los Angeles. Executive Summary. City of Los Angeles: AIDS Coordinator.

Schilder, A. J., Lampinen, T. M., Miller, M. L., & Hogg, R. S. (2005). Crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy differ in relation to unsafe sex among young gay men. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 96, 340–343.

Semple, S. J., Grant, I., Zians, J., & Patterson, T. L. (2005). HIV-positive methamphetamine users: Psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with sexual venues. Unpublished manuscript, University of California, San Diego.

Semple, S. J., Patterson, T. L., & Grant, I. (2002). Motivations associated with methamphetamine use among HIV+ men who have sex with men. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 22, 149–156.PubMedCrossRef

Semple, S. J., Patterson, T. L., & Grant, I. (2004). The context of sexual risk behavior among heterosexual methamphetamine users. Addictive Behaviors, 29, 807–810.PubMedCrossRef

Temoshok, L., & Nannis, E. D. (1992). Tri-Service Biopsychosocial Study Protocol. The Rockville, MD: Military Medical Consortium for Applied Retroviral Research.

van Empelen, P., Kok, G., van Kesteren, N. M., van den Borne, B., Bos, A. E., & Schaalma, H. P. (2003). Effective methods to change sex-risk among drug users: a review of psychological interventions. Social Science and Medicine, 57, 1593–1608.PubMedCrossRef

Williams, M. (2005). Medication treatment for sexual compulsivity. Accessed from http://www.brainphysics.com/paraphilia.php on October 16, 2005.

Zuckerman, M. (1971). Dimensions of sensation seeking. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 36, 45–52.CrossRef

Title: Sexual Compulsivity in a Sample of HIV-Positive Methamphetamine-using Gay and Bisexual Men
Authors: Shirley J. Semple
Jim Zians
Igor Grant
Thomas L. Patterson
Publication date: 01-09-2006
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: AIDS and Behavior / Issue 5/2006
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-006-9127-1

Live Webinar | 27-06-2024 | 18:00 (CEST)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Reserve your place

Live: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

WHO estimates that half of all patients worldwide are non-adherent to their prescribed medication. The consequences of poor adherence can be catastrophic, on both the individual and population level.

Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.

Prof. Kevin Dolgin

Prof. Florian Limbourg

Prof. Anoop Chauhan

Developed by: Springer Medicine

Obesity Clinical Trial Summary

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.

Developed by: Springer Medicine

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 5/2006

ZIP Code Correlates of HIV-Testing: A Multi-level Analysis in Los Angeles

Understanding Family Support for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Yunnan, China

Impact of HIV-Related Stigma on Health Behaviors and Psychological Adjustment Among HIV-Positive Men and Women

HIV-Related Sexual Behavior in Urban, Rural and Border Areas of Burkina Faso

Correlates of Unprotected Anal Sex with Casual Partners: A Study of Gay Men Living in the Southern United States

Correlates of sex without serostatus disclosure among a national probability sample of HIV patients

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Live: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

At a glance: The STEP trials