Adult attachment, sexual motives, and high risk sexual behavior

The current study examined adult attachment, sexual motives and high-risk sexual behavior-in an adult, college sample. Participants completed five questionnaires, which assess demographic information, levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance (Experiences in Close Relationships Questionnaire-Revised; Fraley, Waller, & Brennan, 2000), risky sexual behaviors (Sexual Risk Survey; Turchik & Garske, 2008), sexual motives (Affective and Motivational Orientation Related to Erotic Arousal Questionnaire; Hill & Preston, 1996), and social desirability (Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale Form B; Reynolds, 1982). Pearson correlations and regression analyses were utilized to test the following hypotheses: 1) increased scores on attachment anxiety (as measured by the ECR-R) will predict increased scores of the sexual motives feeling valued by one\u27s partner and nurturance, as measured by the AMORE Questionnaire; 2) higher scores on the sexual motives, feeling valued by one\u27s partner and nurturance will predict higher scores on risky sexual behavior (as measured by the SRS); 3) increased scores for the sexual motive, feeling valued by one\u27s partner, will mediate the relationship between higher attachment anxiety and risky sexual behavior scores; and 4) higher scores for the sexual motive, nurturance, will mediate the relationship between higher attachment anxiety and risky sexual behavior scores. Support was not found for these hypotheses. However, post hoc analyses indicated that attachment related anxiety predicted the sexual motives, feeling valued by partner, experiencing the power of one\u27s partner, and stress relief. Attachment related avoidance predicted the sexual motives, enhancement of power, and there was a negative association with the sexual motives, showing value for one\u27s partner, and nurturance. Additionally, significant gender and relationship status differences were noted. No significant results were obtained involving risky sexual behavior. Findings, conclusions, limitations, and clinical implications are further discussed