Social Differences in Partners of American Adults: Association with Condom Use and Sexually Transmitted Infections
Kathleen Ford, University of Michigan

Social differences between sexual partners may result in differences in power or communication that may increase sexual risk taking behaviours. The objective of this study was to examine the association of differences in power characteristics with condom use and sexually transmitted infections (STI) in a national sample of American adults. The data for this analysis was drawn from a national probability sample of 3,432 adults, the National health and Social Life Survey (NHLS). Differences in partner age were associated with reduced condom use and in an increased number of STI. Age differences between partners should be discussed in education and counselling about sexuality. Screening for age differences between partners may provide an effective method for targeting STI prevention efforts. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2003; 12: 129-136).

The Role of Cognitive Avoidance of STIs for Discussing Safer Sex Practices and for Condom Use Consistency.
Rupert Klein & Bärbel Knäuper, McGill University.

This study investigated the determinants of the cognitive tendancy to avoid thoughts about sexually transmitted infection (STI) and examines the association of this tendency with willingness to engage in discussions of safer sexual practices and with condom use consistency. Findings from two questionnaire-based studies are presented. The first study, with 71 female university students, found that women with low sexual self-efficacy, low assertiveness toward discussing safer sex practices and lower knowledge about STIs had a higher tendency to avoid STI-related thoughts. Moreover, the higher the women’s tendency to avoid STI thoughts the less willing they were to engage in discussions of safer sex practices. The second study, comprised of 26 female and 16 male university students, investigated the association of mental representations of condoms and STI thought avoidance with consistency of condom use. Results indicated that certain mental representations of condoms as well as cognitive avoidance were associated with condom use consistency and that the associations differed for men and women. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2003; 12: 137-150).

Breastfeeding and Postpartum Maternal Sexual Functioning: A Review.
Amanda K. LaMarre, Laural Q. Paterson and Boris B. Gorzalka, University of British Columbia.

In this paper we review the existing literature on the relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum maternal sexuality. Latency to resumption of sexual activity and frequency of sexual activity, sexual desire, dyspareunia, fatigue, mood and depression are used as discrete categories for discussion. The research literature indicates that women who breastfeed, as compared to those who bottle-feed, are more likely to experience decreases in sexual functioning, especially desire. Research increasingly suggests that various factors modulate the influence of breastfeeding on sexual functioning, including psychosocial and hormonal variables. Of particular interest is the potential association between hyperprolactinemia in breastfeeding women and sexual functioning, as mediated by its effects on both androgen and estrogen secretion. The limitations and deficits of past research, practical implications of these findings, and future directions for research are discussed. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2003; 12: 151-168).

Determinants of Sex Initiation Frequencies and Sexual Satisfaction in Long-Term Couples’ Relationships.
Ilona Gossmann, University of Montreal, Danielle Julien, University of Quebec at Montreal, Mireille Mathieu, University of Montreal, and Elise Chartrand, University of Quebec at Montreal.

The main objectives of this study were to assess the clinical utility of the Sexual Initiation Scale (SIS) (Gossman, Julien, & Chartrand, 2002) by determining (1) whether the SIS scores are associated with sexual outcomes (sexual initiation, sexual activity, sexual satisfaction) in long-term relationships and (2) whether characteristics of couple’s or individual partners that are known to contribute to such sexual outcomes account for unique variance beyond that afforded by the SIS. Questionnaires were administered to 202 partners in 101 couples in a volunteer, non-clinical sample. Using hierarchical regression analyses of SIS scores and couple/individual characteristics scores as predictor variables, and mean sexual outcomes score as the dependant variable, we found that partners dyadic adjustment and perceptions of own sex appeal were the only variables that contributed unique variance to sexual outcomes beyond that afforded by the mean score from the three SIS subscales. These findings may have practical implications for simplification of procedures used in assessing sexual outcomes of couples in long-term relationships. Further work with clinical samples will be necessary to establish the full clinical utility of the SIS. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 2003; 12: 169-181).