title: Attachment orientation and sexual risk behaviour among young Black gay and bisexual men.
abstract: This mixed methods study used an explanatory sequential design to examine the relationship between attachment and sexual behavior among young Black gay and bisexual men (YBGBM). Cross sectional online surveys and sex diaries were completed by a sample of YBGBM in New York City (n= 153) to assess the association between adult attachment insecurity and sexual risk behavior. The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised (ECR-R) was used to assess three types of adult attachment (i.e., secure, anxious, and avoidant). Participants reported condomless sex encounters, as well as serodiscordant condomless anal sex encounters, as measures of sexual risk. Quantitative findings suggested that there were few associations between attachment type and sexual risk behavior; only men with attachment avoidance were likely to engage in condomless sex. However, qualitative findings illuminated some of the social complexities of the association between attachment in childhood, attachment in young adulthood and intimate partnerships, which could be linked to young adult sexual risk behavior. The study findings highlight the need for researchers to further examine the process by which individual differences in attachment orientation are related to YBGBM's sexual behavior.
authors: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Psychology, The College of Literature, Sciences & Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors: Stephanie H
authors: SH
authors: Cook
authors: School of Social Work and Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors: Daphne C
authors: DC
authors: Watkins
authors: Department of Psychology, The College of Literature, Sciences & Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Calebs
authors: Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors: Patrick A
authors: PA
authors: Wilson
keywords: HIV; attachment; sexual behavior; young Black gay and bisexual men