title: Attachment and sexual health behaviors in homeless youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore relationships and group differences in attachment-related constructs (social connectedness and social support) and sexual health behaviors in a sample of homeless youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory design, this study analyzed baseline data from an ongoing intervention study. Survey data were collected by audio, computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI) from a nonprobability sample of homeless youth (n = 176).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Social connectedness was positively correlated with period of time homeless, while social support was positively related to sexual self-concept and to self-efficacy and intention to use condoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The street group that homeless youth identify with may be a potential resource for peer-mentoring and skill-building regarding healthy sexual behavior.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Austin-School of Nursing, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taylor-Seehafer
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rew
authors.forename: Rachel T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Fouladi
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Land
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior