Partner type and sexual risk behavior among HIV positive gay and bisexual,men: Social cognitive correlates

This study used elements of social cognitive theory to examine the relation ship between partner type and sexual risk behavior in a sample of HIV posit ive gay and bisexual men. Self-efficacy captures one's perceived ability to perform a behavior; outcome expectancies are estimations that a behavior w ill result in a given outcome. An examination of sexual risk behavior revea led that men with steady partners and men with anonymous partners had the m ost unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), while men with casual partners had the least. Men with anonymous partners had the lowest scores on self-effica cy and outcome expectancies for condom use, negotiation, and disclosure. Ou tcome expectancies for negotiation of safer sex were inversely related to U AI for men with steady partners. Self-efficacy for condom use and negotiati on were inversely related to UAI for men with casual partners. These findin gs suggest the need to consider partner type in the development of sexual r isk reduction interventions.