This study used the Health Belief Model to examine the predictors of AIDS preventive behavior. The independent variables were the variables of individual perception, modifying factors (psychological variables), and likelihood variables. The respondents, the Taiwanese students of the University of North Texas, were influenced both by Chinese sexuality and Western values in their AIDS-risk behavior. The results revealed that 90% of the respondents were misinformed on the availability of AIDS vaccine. In addition, a majority of the students were either abstaining from sex or practicing monogamy. Using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis, this study found that the psychological variables rather than cognitive variables significantly influenced the respondents' AIDS preventive behavior. Finally, suggestions were made for future research on AIDS, and for AIDS preventive behavior campaigns.

The relationships among self-labeled sexual orientation, sexual preferences, and sexual behaviors were examined in samples from Taiwan and the USA. Subsamples matched on gender, age, and marital status were created to reduce sexual orientation cell size discrepancies and demographic differences. Sexual orientation self-label, the Kinsey Scale of Sexual Orientation, and a modified version for preference were used to assess participants' sexual orientation, behavior, and preference, respectively. Additional measures included an adaptation of the Early Sexual Experiences Checklist, and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist for psychological distress. For both Taiwan and USA subsamples, heterosexual participants reported significantly greater congruence between sexual orientation identity and preference than did nonheterosexual participants. A high proportion of the Taiwan sample were celibate, precluding analyses of congruence between sexual orientation identity and sexual behavior. Congruence between sexual behavior and preference in the USA sample was negatively correlated with psychological distress. In a cross-cultural comparison between the Taiwan and USA women (n = 176), the two samples reported similar congruence between sexual orientation identity and preference. Exploratory analyses revealed that heterosexual participants' sexual orientation label was more “public, ” (more categories of people who knew the participants' sexual orientation), than was nonheterosexuals' in both Taiwan and the USA. In Taiwan, heterosexual and nonheterosexual participants reported similar proportions who were celibate. A gender difference within the USA subsample included that men reported significantly greater congruence than did women regarding sexual orientation identity and congruence between behavior and preference. Analyses comparing self-labeled sexual orientation groups on unwanted childhood sexual experiences and age of earliest voluntary sexual activity were not significant. This study's limitations included small numbers of bisexual (USA n = 27, Taiwan n = 17) or homosexual (USA n = 35, Taiwan n = 9) participants, prohibiting distinctions between them. Recommended future research includes examining the self-labeling process, Asian American student sexual behaviors, and incorporating frequency and intrusiveness when assessing unwanted childhood sexual experiences.

The present study examined 100 gay and lesbian (LG) college students and 100 heterosexual students to determine whether group differences existed in frequency of and anxiety related to non-erotic cognitive distractions during sexual activity. Non-erotic cognitive distractions is a descriptive term to include both self-evaluative behaviors related to physical performance and body image concerns, as well as additional cognitive distractions (e.g., contracting an STI or emotional concerns) during sexual activity. Participants, matched on gender (96 males and 104 females), age, and ethnicity, completed questionnaires assessing frequency and associated anxiety related to non-erotic cognitive distractions during sexual activity, as well as measures of additional variables (e.g., religiosity and self-esteem). Results indicated that LG participants experience significantly more cognitive distractions and concomitant anxiety related to body image, physical performance, and contracting a disease or illness during sexual activity. With regard to gender differences, men reported more distractions related to contracting a disease or illness than women. An interaction effect was observed between sexual orientation and gender for body image-, disease-, and external/emotional-based distractions. It also was found that gay men, lesbians, and heterosexual women reported significantly more body image concerns than straight men. Implications of these findings are discussed

There are estimated to be 840,000 people living with HIV in China (1) of whom 65% are estimated to be in the 16-29 year age group. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution and the opening of China to Western influence, traditional cultural norms have rapidly eroded and China is described as being in the middle of a sexual revolution (2). People are increasingly engaging in behaviours exposing them to the risk of contracting HIV which is spreading from the traditionally high risk populations to the general population via the heterosexual route (3). Comprehensive prevention strategies are necessary to prevent further spread (4). There is evidence that the observed increase in sexual activity is not accompanied by adequate knowledge of HIV transmission. 79% of 18-25 year olds know that HIV/AIDS can be transmitted by sexual intercourse, but a mere 30% know that correct and consistent condom use can protect against HIV transmission (5).<br /> <br /> This exploratory study investigated the factors that influence safe sexual practices amongst female Chinese university students, enabling or preventing them from taking responsibility for their reproductive health. The literature search revealed this to be a largely unexplored area. The study was undertaken amongst third year male and female students, recruited from the Department of Comparative Literature and Media Studies at the Zhongshan University in Guangzhou, China. Data was predominantly collected using two male and two female focus group discussions. Three key informant interviews supported and contextualised the findings. The study revealed that the factors influencing female students&rsquo / ability to adopt safe sexual practices are complex. The recognised shortcomings of sex education in China (6) are compounded by the taboo of sex and the pressure placed on students for the achievement of good grades.<br /> <br /> The university environment exerts a powerful influence. The ease with which mutually beneficial same sex friendships develop in the dormitory can be contrasted with the difficulties faced by couples attempting to conduct relationships. The restrictive university environment has the effect of driving relationships underground. Gender roles are deeply entrenched. The need to conform to the ideal pure, na&iuml / ve, and non-inquiring female stereotype affects a female student&rsquo / s ability to source sexual health information, negotiate safe sex, and to adopt safe sexual practices. Two distinct male stereotypes emerged: the traditional more gender equal male, and the liberal male who believes in an earlier age of sexual initiation and condones multiple sexual partners. All students are aware of HIV but have misconceptions about the specifics of HIV transmission, believing that HIV can be transmitted by kissing, from unclean baths and from doctors. Some students were of the belief that poor personal hygiene is an indicator of possible HIV positive status. Students were confused by condom quality issues. As they had received no formal condom training students relied on reading the package instructions or working it out for themselves.<br /> This small exploratory study resulted in the production of rich and surprising findings. These are incorporated into recommendations for future research and a comprehensive sex education programme at the university. Abstinence and mutual monogamy should be emphasised. Gender stereotypes that influence behaviour and choice of sex education materials should be acknowledged. Negotiation skills training should be incorporated together with condom and contraceptive advice. A sexual health page on the student website and a training programme for students to become peer-to-peer sex educators should be introduced.

The purpose of the current study was to examine young women's perceptions of both verbal and nonverbal sexual communication from their mothers during childhood and how these perceptions are related to the female offspring's current sexual experiences and attitudes. More specifically, I hypothesized that perceptions of negative parental sexual communication will be related to relatively low levels of sexual experience, comfort regarding sexual activity, and sexual assertiveness, as well as negative affect and cognition regarding sexuality. I also hypothesized that female offspring will receive significantly more sexual communication from mother than from father. Finally, predicted that the communication received from mother, as opposed to father, will be related to high levels of sexual experience, sexual comfort, sexual assertiveness, and more positive sexual affect and cognition. There were 295 female college students who completed questionnaires regarding sexual experience, comfort with sexual activity, sexual assertiveness, perceptions of parental sexual communication, affective and cognitive properties of sexual attitude, and erotophobia/erotophilia. Perceptions of parental sexual communication were measured with a survey developed specifically for the current study. Two forms of this survey were used; one to measure mother's verbal communication and the other to measure nonverbal communication. Results showed a negative correlation between tone of parental sexual communication and sexual experience, as well as a positive correlation between parental sexual communication and sexual cognition. The results of this study also showed that more sexual communication is perceived from mother than from father, and amount of mother's communication was significantly related to sexual assertiveness and affective properties of sexual attitudes. / Department of Psychological Science

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The purpose of the current study was to measure the effects of a sexual issues discussion group on the sexual attitudes and behaviors of physically disabled college students. A review of the literature on sexual rehabilitation counseling shows that many programs have been designed to help the disabled. However, it was discovered that most of these programs were developed for the traumatically disabled and did not include the congenitally disabled or those afflicted with debilitating diseases. Furthermore, few reports described the sexual adjustment counseling programs and even fewer reported data on the effectiveness of these programs. Research indicated that the disabled have more difficulty adjusting to college than do able-bodied students. Since sexual adjustment is an important component of total adjustment, it was hypothesized that this might be an important function of a college counselor working with disabled students. The lack of reviews of sexual adjustment programs, the scarcity of reports on the effectiveness of these programs and the rarity of information on sexual adjustment counseling with disabled college students were the impetus for this study. The specific questions which this study was designed to answer were: (1) Does participation in a sexual issues discussion group affect the sexual attitudes of physically disabled college students? (2) Does participation in a sexual issues discussion group affect the sexual activity of physically disabled college students? and (3) Does participation in a sexual issues discussion group help physically disabled college students reach specific attitudinal and behavioral goals which they have identified prior to beginning the group? The population included all the physically handicapped students at Arizona State University identified as disabled by the Disabled Students Office. The population was contacted by mail. From the resulting volunteers, individuals were randomly selected, placed in two categories (congenital and acquired disablements), and then randomly assigned to two groups of six, creating a stratified random sample. Each group had four members who had congenital defects and two members with acquired disabilities. The experimental treatment consisted of an eight-week program, conducted in the University Counseling Center, of two-hour sessions which focused on sexual issues. A waiting list control group took the pre and post tests as did the experimental group. The experimental group also drew up individual contracts which they hoped to accomplish as a result of participating in the treatment. Analysis of Variance was used to test the hypotheses related to Questions 1 and 2. Results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups which could be attributed to the treatment. Evaluation of the individual contracts indicated, however, that experimental subjects did move toward the goals which they had set for themselves. Analysis of graphs of the data suggested that change was made in the experimental group toward more liberal sexual attitudes and behaviors. From the evidence gathered in the study, it was concluded that the treatment did not have a statistically significant effect on the sexual attitudes and behaviors of physically disabled college students as measured by the test instruments. However, the self-ratings suggested that participants in the experimental group did move toward goals which they had set for themselves prior to treatment. The major conclusion was that the size of the N (12) was a contributing factor in the failure to denote a statistically significant difference between the two groups. Recommendations included further investigation of the experimental treatment procedures, separation of the congenitally disabled from those with acquired disabilities, revision of the test instruments and offering similar treatment as a credit course.

This study surveyed the sexual behaviors and knowledge of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among 117 undergraduate students from McGill University, Montreal. The sample consisted of 32 men and 85 women ranging from 18 up to 24 years of age. The total sample was split into three knowledge groups, Low, Medium, and High, based on answers provided to questions about AIDS. The data were analyzed separately for the total sample, men, women, and the three knowledge groups. The findings indicated that these students were relatively knowledgeable about AIDS (73.23% correct responses out of 21 items), but were engaging in high risk sexual activities. It appears that personal concern about contracting AIDS, not knowledge of this disease, is related to behavior change among undergraduate students. It was recommended that AIDS education programs focus more on increasing the personal concern than the AIDS knowledge of adolescents.

Forcible rapes continue to occur at a rate of 1.3 per minute (National Victim Center, 1992). With an estimated 12.1 million women having been raped in our country (National Victim Center, 1992) and with most victims knowing the rapist, the importance of understanding the underlying dynamics leading to sexually aggressive behavior becomes imperative.The purpose of this study was to further delineate a possible contributory factor in the predisposition for rape. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between the perceived quality of father-child relationship and those underlying motivational and attitudinal factors associated with men who perpetrate sexual aggression towards women. A sample of 264 male college students were given a series of instruments examining underlying power motivations, sex-role stereotyping beliefs, attitudes of hostility toward women, relationship with father, relationship with mother, and sexually aggressive behavior. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between parent-child relationship and sexually aggressive attitudes and behavior.The results revealed that, consistent with previously reported literature, one measure of relationship with father was found to account for a significant amount of variance in hostility toward women. Relationship with father was not found to be significantly related to any of the remaining criterion measures. Relationship with mother was found to be significantly related to sex-role stereotyping. All criterion measures were significantly correlated with each other as were all the predictor measures.The results are discussed in relation to the hypotheses and previous research findings. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services