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The Psychological Cost of Anticipating HIV Stigma for HIV-Negative Gay and Bisexual Men

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Abstract

Much research has examined the impact of HIV-associated stigma on HIV-positive individuals, but little work has explored its impact on HIV-negative persons. However, many gay and bisexual men may imagine the stigma they would experience upon seroconverting, and this anticipated stigma may be associated with negative mental health. Such concerns may be exacerbated among men who identify with the receptive role during anal sex, because of greater risk for infection. This study examined the association between anticipated HIV stigma and negative affect among 683 HIV-negative gay and bisexual men living in New York City. Anticipated HIV stigma predicted negative affect over and above internalized homonegativity. Sexual role identity was associated directly with anticipated stigma and indirectly with negative affect. Results suggest that anticipated HIV stigma may be an important mental health issue for gay and bisexual men. Public health messaging discussing sexual positioning should be sensitive to the potential for exacerbating anticipated HIV stigma among bottom-identified men.

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Acknowledgments

The Sex and Love v.7.0 study was supported by the Hunter College Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies & Training (CHEST), under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey T. Parsons. The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of the members of the Sex and Love v.7.0 Project Team: Anthony Bamonte, Anthony Surace, Brooke Wells, Catherine Holder, Christian Grov, Chris Hietikko, David S. Bimbi, Julia Tomassilli, Kevin Robin, Michael Adams, and the Drag Initiative to Vanquish AIDS (DIVAs).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST), New York, NY, USA

    Tyrel J. Starks, H. Jonathon Rendina, Aaron S. Breslow & Jeffrey T. Parsons

  2. Basic and Applied Social Psychology Doctoral Program, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA

    H. Jonathon Rendina, Jeffrey T. Parsons & Sarit A. Golub

  3. Department of Psychology, Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training, Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY), 695 Park Avenue, Room 738N, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Jeffrey T. Parsons & Sarit A. Golub

  4. Health Psychology Doctoral Program, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, USA

    Jeffrey T. Parsons & Sarit A. Golub

  5. CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College, New York, NY, USA

    Jeffrey T. Parsons

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  1. Tyrel J. Starks
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  2. H. Jonathon Rendina
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  3. Aaron S. Breslow
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  4. Jeffrey T. Parsons
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  5. Sarit A. Golub
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Correspondence to Jeffrey T. Parsons.

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Starks, T.J., Rendina, H.J., Breslow, A.S. et al. The Psychological Cost of Anticipating HIV Stigma for HIV-Negative Gay and Bisexual Men. AIDS Behav 17, 2732–2741 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0425-0

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