Condom use negotiation in heterosexual African American adults: responses to types of social power-based strategies.
This study examined gender differences and preferences in the use of and response to six different styles of condom use negotiation with a hypothetical sexual partner of the opposite gender. Participants were 51 heterosexually active African American adults attending an inner-city community center. Participants completed a semistructured qualitative interview in which they were presented with six negotiation strategies based on Raven's 1992 Power/Interaction Model of Interpersonal Influence. Results showed that female participants responded best to referent, reward, and legitimate strategies, and worst to informational tactics. Male participants responded best to reward strategies, and worst to coercion to use condoms. Further, responses given by a subset of participants indicated that use of negotiation tactics involving coercion to use condoms may result in negative or angry reactions. Response to strategies may vary with the value of the relationship as viewed by the target of negotiation. Implications for HIV prevention efforts are discussed.
Otto-Salaj
Laura
L
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Social Work, Center for Addiction and Behavioral Health Research, P.O. Box 786, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. lottosal@uwm.edu
Reed
Barbara
B
Brondino
Michael J
MJ
Gore-Felton
Cheryl
C
Kelly
Jeffrey A
JA
Stevenson
L Yvonne
LY
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D017008:Negotiating / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires