Experiences of Discrimination and Sexual Behaviors: An Examination of Motives as Potential Psychological Mediators |
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| Authors: | Nao Hagiwara Eric A Grollman Tiffany L Green |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA;2. Department of Sociology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA;3. Department of Health Policy and Behavior, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA |
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| Abstract: | Objectives: We investigated three psychological mechanisms that may underlie the associations between discrimination and sexual activity: emotion regulation, autonomy restoration, and intimacy building. Methods: An online survey was administered to a diverse sample of 565 undergraduate students at a large public university. Results: Having sex to mitigate negative emotions mediated the associations between self-reported discrimination and lifetime number of sexual partners, and between discrimination and the frequency of sexual intercourse while intoxicated. Conclusions: Sexual activity may serve as a coping strategy in response to the experiences of negative emotions and human core needs thwarted by the experiences of discrimination. |
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| Keywords: | Discrimination sexual behaviors sexual health disparities psychological mechanisms sexual motives |
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