title: Participation in counseling programs: high-risk participants are reluctant to accept HIV-prevention counseling.
abstract: HIV-prevention intervention effectiveness depends on understanding whether clients with highest need for HIV-prevention counseling accept it. With this objective, a field study with a high-risk community sample from the southeastern United States (N = 350) investigated whether initial knowledge about HIV, motivation to use condoms, condom-use-relevant behavioral skills, and prior condom use correlate with subsequent acceptance of an HIV-prevention counseling session. Ironically, participants with high (vs. low) motivation to use condoms, high (vs. low) condom-use-relevant behavioral skills, and high (vs. low) prior condom use were more likely to accept the HIV-prevention counseling. Moreover, the influence of motivation to use condoms, condom-use-relevant behavioral skills, and prior condom use on acceptance of the counseling was mediated by expectations that the counseling session would be useful. Methods to reduce barriers to recruitment of clients for counseling programs are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Earl
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albarracín
authors.forename: Marta R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Durantini
authors.forename: Joann B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Gunnoe
authors.forename: Josh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leeper
authors.forename: Justin H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Levitt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult