Kuo Caroline, Johnson Jennifer, Rosen Rochelle K, Wechsberg Wendee, Gobin Robyn L, Reddy Madhavi K, Peabody Marlanea, Zlotnick Caron
a Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies , Brown University , Providence , Rhode Island , USA.
Women Health. 2014;54(8):796-815. doi: 10.1080/03630242.2013.850143.
Incarcerated women, in comparison to nonincarcerated women, are at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and many have experienced interpersonal violence. The psychological construct of emotional dysregulation-which includes heightened intensity of emotions, poor understanding of emotions, negative reactivity to emotion state, inability to control behaviors when experiencing emotional distress, and maladaptive emotion management responses-is a possible pathway to explain the link between interpersonal violence exposure and STI risk. The present study examined maladaptive emotion management responses for emotional dysregulation (i.e., avoidance and numbing, and dissociation) occurring in the context of risky sexual behavior. We collected qualitative data from 4 focus groups with a sample of n = 21 incarcerated women (aged 18+ years) from urban facilities in New England. Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings indicated that incarcerated women reported engaging in a variety of maladaptive responses for emotion management during sexual encounters. These maladaptive responses for emotion management appear to increase sexual risk behaviors and alter women's ability to implement STI protective behaviors, such as sexual negotiation and condom use. Preventive interventions to reduce sexual risk behaviors should incorporate strategies to promote emotional regulation among incarcerated women with histories of interpersonal violence.
与未被监禁的女性相比，被监禁的女性感染性传播感染（STIs）的风险很高，而且许多人都经历过人际暴力。情绪失调的心理结构——包括情绪强度增强、对情绪的理解不佳、对情绪状态的负面反应、在经历情绪困扰时无法控制行为以及适应不良的情绪管理反应——是解释人际暴力暴露与性传播感染风险之间联系的一条可能途径。本研究考察了在危险性行为背景下出现的情绪失调的适应不良情绪管理反应（即回避与麻木以及解离）。我们从新英格兰城市设施中选取了n = 21名年龄在18岁及以上的被监禁女性作为样本，通过4个焦点小组收集了定性数据。使用主题分析方法对定性数据进行了分析。研究结果表明，被监禁女性报告在性接触过程中采取了多种适应不良的情绪管理反应。这些适应不良的情绪管理反应似乎会增加性风险行为，并改变女性实施性传播感染防护行为（如性协商和使用避孕套）的能力。减少性风险行为的预防性干预措施应纳入促进有人际暴力史的被监禁女性情绪调节的策略。
