Experiences of Discrimination and Sexual Behaviors: An Examination of Motives as Potential Psychological Mediators |
| |
Authors: | Nao Hagiwara Eric A. Grollman Tiffany L. Green |
| |
Affiliation: | 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 |
| |
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. |
| |
Keywords: | Discrimination sexual behaviors sexual health disparities psychological mechanisms sexual motives |
|
|