"I've Been Forged in Fire": Preliminary Theory of HIV Prevention Resilience Among Sexual Minority Men With HIV Risk Factors.

HIV prevention research on sexual minority men focuses predominantly on risk factors, yet there is potential for enhancing HIV risk reduction by also examining resilience factors. We used mixed methods to explore HIV-related resilience pathways among 20 HIV-negative sexual minority men reporting HIV syndemic risks (childhood sexual abuse, partner abuse, mental health problems, substance abuse). Using grounded theory, we found that stress-related growth after mental health problems and/or unwanted sexual experiences can trigger development/use of HIV prevention resilience resources that, in turn, help sexual minority men cope and enhance HIV prevention behavior.

Pain Severity and Experiences with Pain Management Predict Alcohol Use Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV.

Unhealthy alcohol use is prevalent among people with HIV, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). Pain frequently co-occurs with unhealthy alcohol use and is associated with suboptimal HIV care outcomes. The present study examined the effects of pain severity and experiences with pain management care (i.

Effects of optimism and stage of change on alcohol use and problems among sexual minority men with HIV participating in a brief motivational interviewing intervention.

Introduction: Disseminating effective alcohol interventions for sexual minority men (SMM) with HIV remains a crucial public health endeavor. Motivational interviewing (MI) interventions are an established approach to reducing alcohol use, yet more research is needed to determine predictors of MI treatment outcomes and underlying mechanisms related to sustained behavior change among SMM with HIV. This pre-registered secondary analysis tested whether action-related stage of change mediated effects of a MI intervention on future alcohol use and problems among SMM with HIV, and whether individual differences in trait optimism moderated these associations.

An initial randomized controlled trial of a Combined Medication and Behavioral Activation Treatment (CoMBAT) for people with opioid use disorder.

Introduction: Opioid use disorder is a chronic, relapsing disease and a major source of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) have been shown to reduce opioid use; however, MOUD maintenance is often suboptimal.

Exploring social cognition and romantic self-efficacy in autistic young adults: Better social awareness is associated with lower confidence.

Background: Despite misconceptions, autistic young adults are interested in romantic relationships (Fernandes et al., 2016; Hancock et al., 2019; Mehzabin & Stokes, 2011).

Efficacy of Behavioral Intervention, Text Messaging, and Extended Intervention to Address Alcohol Misuse in Sexual Minority Men with HIV: A Factorial Randomized Clinical Trial.

This clinical trial examined the individual and combined effects of three different approaches to reducing alcohol misuse among a sample of sexual minority men (SMM) with HIV. Specifically, we used a 2 × 2 × 2 randomized factorial design to compare: (a) behavioral intervention based in motivational interviewing (MI) vs. brief intervention (BI), (b) interactive text messaging (ITM) for alcohol use vs.

Factors associated with PrEP-era HIV seroconversion in a 4-year U.S. national cohort of n = 6059 sexual and gender minority individuals who have sex with men, 2017-2022.

Introduction: Community-based cohort studies of HIV seroconversion can identify important avenues for enhancing HIV prevention efforts in the era of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Within individuals, one can assess exposure and outcome variables repeatedly and with increased certainty regarding temporal ordering. This cohort study examined the association of several risk factors with subsequent HIV seroconversion.

Perceptions of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder on How Health Care Providers Address Sexual Health.

Objective: Medical providers report barriers that prevent them from discussing sexual health with patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). No investigations have examined the perspectives of adults with ASD about their sexual health care experiences.

Methods: Twenty-five verbal young adults diagnosed with ASD and 40 young adults without ASD participated.

PrEP Discontinuation In A US National Cohort Of Sexual And Gender Minority Populations, 2017-22.

In the US, sexual and gender minority populations are disproportionately affected by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a key prevention method, but its effectiveness relies on consistent usage. Our four-year national cohort study explored PrEP discontinuation among sexual and gender minority people who initiated PrEP.

PrEP Uptake and Methamphetamine Use Patterns in a 4-Year U.S. National Prospective Cohort Study of Sexual and Gender Minority People, 2017-2022.

Methamphetamine use is on the rise among sexual and gender minority people who have sex with men (SGMSM), escalating their HIV risk. Despite pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) being an effective biomedical HIV prevention tool, its uptake in relation to methamphetamine use patterns in SGMSM has not been studied. In a U.

Power and control, resistance and survival: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature on intimate partner violence against transgender individuals.

Transgender (trans) individuals experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at elevated levels compared to cisgender individuals. Traditional theoretical understandings of IPV as men's patriarchal domination of women, and later, broader theories in which IPV is conceptualized as the relatively privileged partner enacting domination over the relatively oppressed partner, do not fully capture the totality of IPV experiences, including how IPV is perpetrated against trans individuals. We conducted a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis of the qualitative and theoretical literatures on IPV against trans individuals (N = 37 articles and books) to generate novel IPV theory inclusive of trans individuals' experiences.

Discrimination and adherence in a cross-sectional study of Latino sexual minority men with HIV: Coping with discrimination as a mediator and coping self-efficacy as a moderator.

Discrimination is associated with antiretroviral therapy non-adherence and reduced well-being among people with HIV. We examined the potential for coping to mediate the associations between intersectional discrimination and non-adherence and coping self-efficacy (confidence in one's ability to cope with discrimination) as a moderator that may buffer the negative effects of discrimination on non-adherence in a cross-sectional convenience sample of 82 Latino sexual minority men with HIV. In bivariate linear regressions, discrimination targeting Latino ethnic origin, undocumented residency status, and sexual orientation were each significantly associated with lower self-reported antiretroviral therapy non-adherence (percentage of prescribed doses taken in the last month) and greater use of disengagement coping (denial, substance use, venting, self-blame, behavioral disengagement).

Sexual Knowledge, Experiences, and Pragmatic Language in Adults With and Without Autism: Implications for Sex Education.

Autistic adults have similar levels of desire for sexual and romantic relationships as their non-autistic peers. However, autistic adults are less likely to be in relationships and have less dating experience. We compared sexual knowledge, experiences, and pragmatic language ability in a community sample of young adults with (n = 27, mean age = 22.

A heavy burden: Associations between sexual minority status, mental health, and BMI in women.

Background: Sexual minority women (SMW) are at increased risk of elevated body mass index (BMI) compared to heterosexual women, increasing their vulnerability to chronic diseases. Nonmonosexual SMW appear to be at additional risk for elevated BMI, likely due to unique sexual minority stressors.

Methods: A total of 437 SMW and heterosexual women completed a cross-sectional, online survey including self-report measures of sexual orientation dimensions, weight, psychological distress, and eating behaviors.

Modeling the Impact of Race, Socioeconomic Status, Discrimination and Cognitive Appraisal on Mental Health Concerns Among Heavy Drinking HIV+ Cisgender MSM.

Prior research has attributed mental health disparities between marginalized and non-marginalized populations to socioeconomic differences (i.e., education, income, employment), stigma (e.

Examining the Impact of Race on Motivational Interviewing Implementation and Outcomes with HIV+ Heavy Drinking Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Motivational interviewing (MI)-based interventions focus on changing behavior through building client motivation. It is unknown how racial mismatch between clients and providers may impact MI implementation and subsequent behavior. We used a mixed methods approach to examine differences in Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (MISC) coded sessions and post-session outcomes between a sample of HIV-positive cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) participants of an MI-based intervention to reduce heavy drinking who identified as persons of color (POC; = 19) and a matched sample of White participants ( = 19).

Discrimination and alcohol problems among heavy drinking HIV-positive men who have sex with men: The buffering effect of a brief Motivational Intervention to reduce alcohol use.

Introduction: Heavy alcohol use negatively impacts health outcomes among people with HIV and is especially prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM). Alcohol problems among MSM with HIV may occur, in part, due to increased stress caused by experiences of identity-based discrimination, such as heterosexism, HIV stigma, and racism. The current study examined (a) whether MSM with HIV who experience greater identity-based discrimination reported higher levels of alcohol problems over time in the absence of alcohol intervention, and (b) whether motivational interviewing (MI) to reduce alcohol use would attenuate the effects of discrimination on alcohol problems.

The APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Sexual Minority Persons: An executive summary of the 2021 revision.

This article provides an executive summary of the American Psychological Association (APA)-approved (American Psychological Association, APA Task Force on Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons, 2021). These were produced at the request of the APA Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (Division 44) and the APA Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (CSOGD) who, in 2018, jointly established a new task force to revise the 2010 This article provides a summary of the conceptual foundations that influenced these , as well as an overview of the complete . We highlight major changes in structure and new content areas.

Multiply marginalized: Linking minority stress due to sexual orientation, gender, and weight to dysregulated eating among sexual minority women of higher body weight.

Objective: This study assessed whether baseline levels of distal and proximal minority stressors related to sexual orientation, gender, and weight were associated with prospective risk for dysregulated eating in daily life among sexual minority women with overweight/obesity.

Methods: Fifty-five sexual minority women ages 18-60 ( = 25 ± 9) with BMI > 25kg/m ( = 32 ± 5) completed baseline assessments of distal and proximal minority stressors due to sexual orientation, gender, and weight. Participants then completed an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) protocol.

The impact of deployment-related stressors on the development of PTSD and depression among sexual minority and heterosexual female veterans.

Objective: Sexual minority female (SMF) veterans experience unique stressors apart from their service in the military. In this study, we compared SMF and heterosexual female (HF) veterans' rates of deployment-related stressors (i.e.

How Has HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Changed Sex? A Review of Research in a New Era of Bio-behavioral HIV Prevention.

In 2012, the U.S. FDA approved the first drug for use as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which is nearly 99% effective when taken as prescribed.

Inter-Group and Intraminority-Group Discrimination Experiences and the Coping Responses of Latino Sexual Minority Men Living With HIV.

Discrimination negatively impacts the health of HIV-positive Latino sexual minority men (LSMM+). A growing literature on LSMM+ chronicles associations based on multiple devalued identities and mental health symptoms, HIV medication nonadherence, and sexual behaviors with the potential to transmit HIV. To gain additional insights on identity-based discrimination-as well as the associated coping responses-we conducted 30 qualitative interviews with LSMM+.

Associations Between Social Support Availability and HIV Risk and Protective Factors in a U.S. Sample of Adults with Diverse Transgender Identities.

There is conflicting evidence on how different types of social support may attenuate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk or may even promote health behaviors in transgender (trans) and nonbinary populations. Drawing on Social Support Theory, we assessed associations between emotional, instrumental, and informational social support and HIV risk and protective factors in a U.S.