Romantic Ideation, Partner-Seeking, and HIV Risk Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men

Structural changes in the acceptability of same-sex relationships may provide young gay and bisexual men (YGBM) with opportunities to develop expectations about their ideal future relationships. Expectations about the future may act as a promotive factor in youths' lives and reduce HIV risk-taking behaviors; however, few studies have examined the relationship between ideation of a future relationship and sexual behaviors of YGBM. In this study, we examined the relationship between romantic ideation (i.e., intimacy, passion, and commitment) and number of sexual partners in a sample of young men (N = 431; M age = 21.49 years; 88% self-identified as gay) who reported using the Internet to meet other men. Using multivariate Poisson regressions, we found a negative association between commitment and number of partners for unprotected sex, both receptive and insertive, in the past two months. We found similar results when we examined the association between relationship exclusivity and number of partners. These associations persisted after accounting for age, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, and hours spent seeking casual and romantic partners online. We found no significant association between number of partners and ideation of an intimate or passionate relationship, respectively. We discuss the implications of our findings and conclude that there is a need to consider and include YGBM's expectations about the future in on-going HIV prevention programs.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91266/1/Bauermeister2012_ASEB.pd

Neighborhood Disadvantage and Changes in Condom Use Among African American Adolescents

OBJECTIVE: Risk factors for adolescent alcohol use are typically conceptualized as individual and interpersonal level factors; however, these factors do not fully explain adolescent drinking behavior. We used a socioecological model to examine the contribution of neighborhood factors in a risk and promotive model of adolescent alcohol use among urban high school youth (N = 711; 52% female; 82% African American; M = 18 years old). METHOD: Using a multilevel model, we considered the role of neighborhood disadvantage on youth alcohol use, after accounting for risk (e.g., peer and parental substance use) and promotive factors (e.g., social support and participation in prosocial activities). RESULTS: Peer alcohol use and peer support were associated with more alcohol use, and maternal support was negatively associated with alcohol use. Despite significant variation at the neighborhood level, neighborhood disadvantage was not directly associated with adolescent drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Our study contributes to a mixed body of literature on social context and adolescent health. Although our research highlights the importance of interpersonal relationships, we found no support for neighborhood influences. We conclude with future directions for research examining the link between adolescent drinking and neighborhood contexts.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91269/1/Bauermeister_JUH_2011.pd

The risk factors for psy-diagnosis? Gender, racialization and social class

This chapter addresses the context of ADHD and childhood mental disorders and considers the ‘risks’ associated with ‘race’, class, and gender within this domain. The chapter draws together the literature on ADHD and childhood mental disorders and statistics from the UK, US, Australia, and Brazil to examine critically the patterns and trends relating to psy-diagnosis, which lead to a whole set of complex spatialization and naming practices. This phenomenon reflects an increasing tendency to attribute mental disorders to individuals with behavioural difficulties. The risk factors of ‘race’, class, and gender are considered in terms of the prevalence of psy-diagnosis that goes on within these arenas. \u27Race’, class, and gender heighten the risk of psy-diagnosis, while at the same time, the very process of psy-diagnosis deflects attention from racialised discrimination or poverty in the lives of children and young people. We argue that the psy-diagnosis of behavioural problems, both in discourse and practice, is dangerous, because it obscures other interpretations of children and their behaviour and detracts from considerations of what is best, educationally, for individual children. We recommend privileging pedagogy over pathology to seek to change the conversation through public discourse and debate and to help beginning teachers to engage more constructively with difference