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Effects of sexually transmitted infection status, relationship status, and disclosure status on sexual self-concept.

Article Excerpt
Research has indicated that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as genital herpes and genital human papilloma virus (HPV) frequently have a negative impact on an individual's sexuality (e.g., Brookes, Haywood, & Green, 1993; Catotti, Clarke, & Catoe, 1993; Clarke, Ebel, Catotti, & Stewart, 1996; Nack, 2000). Genital herpes is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus, which may cause the development of painful fluid-filled blisters or ulcerations of the genital skin (International Herpes Management Forum [IHMF], 2003). HPV can manifest in the body in one of two ways; visible warts around the genital region or as a cervical infection that is not visible to the human eye. The latter type is linked to cervical cancer, but it is unlikely to cause warts. Both genital herpes and HPV are medically incurable, may be physically evidenced on the body, may cause the infected individual pain, and may be transmitted to sexual partners even in the absence of any notable symptoms (IHMF, 2003; Professional Advisory Board of the HPV Education Project [PAB], 2003). This may cause great distress for the infected individual.

Nack (2002) found that relationship status appeared to affect how women with genital herpes or HPV or both handled their diagnosis. Women with genital herpes and HPV who were in committed relationships reported that being in a relationship buffered them from the shame and stigma of having an STI. They felt less likely to be subjected to moral condemnation and felt that this eased the shock of their STI diagnosis. The current study was designed to investigate if an individual's relationship status was associated with various dimensions of sexual self-concept (i.e., the feelings a person has about themselves as a sexual being). Responses of participants with genital herpes and HPV were compared with people who did not have an STI.

The study also aimed to explore whether disclosure of one's STI status to their partner has an impact on a person's sexual self-concept. When disclosing their STI to a partner, the infected individual must confront not only the social perception of their condition but also their own insecurities and fears surrounding it (Vanderplate & Aral, 1987). Issues of personal morality, responsibility, and ethics intertwine to create feelings of intrapersonal conflict surrounding the issue of whether or not to disclose their STI to their partner (Lehr & Lee, 1990). Although the impact of disclosure on sexuality has not been explored in past research, studies have shown that other people's reactions to the disclosure of STI status can have a significant impact on the infected individual's feelings of self. For example, Perry (2000) found that negative disclosure experiences have detrimental effects on individuals with herpes. In situations where disclosure of their STI resulted in negative identity feedback, that is, they were rejected or judged as a result of their infection, the individual began to rethink their previously positive self-concept.

The present study examined whether the sexual self-concept of individuals with herpes and HPV would be significantly different to a control group with no STI. It also aimed to explore whether the sexual self-concept of those individuals with herpes and HPV would differ according to whether individuals were single, had casual partners, or were in a relationship. Finally, among those individuals who were in relationships, the present study aimed to explore whether the sexual self-concept of those individuals who had...

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