Contribution of attentional bias, emotional promiscuity, sexual promiscuity, and affective outcome expectancies for condom use

Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies continue to be a worldwide problem (WHO 2014) and rates in the United Kingdom remain amongst the highest in Europe (ONS 2014). Public Health England has recognised that young people are particularly at risk and have produced a strategic plan to reduce unwanted outcomes (Department of Health 2013; 2015). The current research explores the contribution of emotional promiscuity, sexual promiscuity, and negative affective outcome expectancies to safer sex decision-making and behaviour and concurrently investigates whether safe sex decision making is related to biases in attention for safe sex-themed and sexualised stimuli. Method: The current study uses a visual probe task to test attentional bias for sexually themed and safe sex images in a young adult population. Participants are asked to complete a visual probe task and self-report measures of sexual promiscuity, emotional promiscuity, condom use attitudes, intentions and behaviour. This study employs a mixed design and young adults aged 18-24 are being targeted (n=165). Analyses will include multi factorial mixed ANOVA. Expected results: Anticipated results include the possibility sexually and emotionally promiscuous individuals, particularly females, selecting affective outcome expectancies of condom use as salient, will show an attentional bias for safe sex stimuli. Current stage of work: data collection in progress (n=165) Discussion: Findings will seek to identify predictors of risky sexual behaviour and demonstrate whether biases in attention are an important factor in safe sex decision making and relevant to the design of public health campaigns.