Page 91 - ILIAS ATHANASIADIS AKA RO1

Shame is defined as a negative emotion elicited when a person

experiences failure in relation to personal or social standards, feels

responsible for this failure,

and believes that the failure reflects selfinadequacy rather than

inappropriate behavior.

The term “self-stigmatization” is sometimes used synonymously

with shame to reflect a person's acceptance of the negative aspects of

a stigma.

Shame is clearly distinguishable, however, from the related negative

affect states of guilt and embarrassment.

Unprotected anal intercourse remains a main risk factor for HIV

among men who have sex with men and this is of particular concern

for partners of HIV serodiscordant status.

However, HIV transmission risk has been demonstrated to vary by

the sexual position adopted among partners.

Guided by interdependence theory, this study examined how

relational factors were differentially associated with risk taking

(HIV-positive/insertive and HIV-negative/receptive)

and strategic positioning (HIV-positive/receptive and

HIV-negative/insertive) UAI within serodiscordant same-sex male

couples.