Psychosocial predictors of unprotected anal intercourse in a sample of HIVpositive gay men who volunteer for a sexual risk reduction intervention

This study used logistic regression analysis to identify psychosocial predi ctors of unprotected. anal intercourse in a sample of 212 HIV positive gay men who were enrolled in a sexual risk reduction intervention. A combinatio n of five psychosocial variables (ie., age, avoidant coping, loneliness, de pressive symptoms, and impulsivity) reliably discriminated between men who had engaged in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) with HIV negative or sero status unknown partners and those who had not engaged in this high risk beh avior. Avoid ant coping emerged as the best psychosocial predictor that dis tinguished between the two groups. Men who had UAI during the previous 4 mo nths had significantly higher scores on avoidant coping as compared with th e no-UAI group. These findings suggest the need to design intervention prog rams for HIV positive gay men that addresses coping strategies in the conte xt of high-risk sexual behaviors.