Starks Tyrel J, Cain Demetria
Department of Psychology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
Doctoral Program in Health Psychology and Clinical Science, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
Couple Family Psychol. 2025 Aug 28. doi: 10.1037/cfp0000292.
Substance use disparities are well-documented among sexual minority men (SMM) and substance use is associated with increased sexual HIV transmission risk. SMM in relationships may engage in dyadic coping whereby partners establish explicit joint goals restricting health-limiting behaviors. This formative study examined discussion of substance use concerns and substance use limit setting in 50 male couples. Eligible couples were recruited between March 2018 and March 2020. All participants ( = 100) were cisgender adult males. Each couple included at least one partner who was aged 18-29; reported drug use and sexual HIV transmission risk; and was HIV-negative. Partners in 35 couples (70%) agreed about whether they had discussed substance use related concerns or not; in 36 couples (72%) partners concurred they had discussed the possibility of setting substance use limits; and in 9 couples (18%), both partners asserted that they had established a specific limit. In addition to abstinence, couples formed rules limiting the type, quantity, timing and motivational context of use. The 16 couples (32%) who discussed but did not set a limit provided open-ended responses that emphasized global desire for change, saw past failures as a barrier to current goal setting, or comprised partners who had different perceptions of the content discussions. Measures of substance use problems provided preliminary evidence they might covary with limit setting. Findings generally align with theories of interdependence and health. These posit that couples who have substance use concerns and can successfully negotiate shared limits may be more successful at regulating use.
性少数男性（SMM）中物质使用差异有充分记录，且物质使用与性传播艾滋病毒风险增加有关。处于恋爱关系中的SMM可能会采用二元应对方式，即伴侣双方设定明确的共同目标，限制危害健康的行为。这项形成性研究调查了50对男性伴侣中关于物质使用问题的讨论以及物质使用限制的设定情况。符合条件的伴侣于2018年3月至2020年3月招募。所有参与者（n = 100）均为顺性别成年男性。每对伴侣中至少有一方年龄在18 - 29岁之间；报告有药物使用情况及性传播艾滋病毒风险；且艾滋病毒检测呈阴性。35对伴侣（70%）的双方就是否讨论过与物质使用相关的问题达成一致；36对伴侣（72%）的双方同意他们讨论过设定物质使用限制的可能性；9对伴侣（18%）的双方都称已经设定了具体限制。除了戒除，伴侣双方还制定了规则，限制使用的类型、数量、时间和动机背景。16对伴侣（32%）讨论了但未设定限制，他们给出的开放式回答强调了对改变的总体渴望，将过去的失败视为当前设定目标的障碍，或者伴侣双方对讨论内容有不同看法。物质使用问题的测量提供了初步证据，表明它们可能与限制设定相关。研究结果总体上与相互依赖和健康理论一致。这些理论认为，对物质使用有担忧且能成功协商出共同限制的伴侣在控制使用方面可能会更成功。
