Towards an Understanding of Risk Behavior: An AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM)

TLDR

The report introduces the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM), a three‑stage framework for understanding how individuals modify sexual behaviors to reduce HIV transmission risk. ARRM identifies social and psychological determinants that shape the labeling of risky behaviors, the commitment to change, and the pursuit of solutions, integrating behavioral medicine and human sexuality concepts to explain motivation across stages. Preliminary results from studies of gay and heterosexual populations in San Francisco illustrate the model’s applicability and suggest avenues for future research.

Abstract

This report presents a three-stage model (ARRM) that characterize people's efforts to change sexual behaviors related to HIV transmission. ARRM focuses on social and psychological factors hypothesized to influence (1) labeling of high risk behaviors as problematic, (2) making a commitment to changing high risk behaviors, and (3) seeking and enacting solutions directed at reducing high risk activities. The proposed model integrates important concepts from prior behavioral medicine and human sexuality stud ies, specifies their differential import to achieving the goals associated with each stage of the model, and denotes factors hypothesized to influence people's motivation to con tinue the change process over time. Current findings are discussed within this three-stage model and directions for further research are suggested. Recent findings from our ongoing studies of gays and heterosexuals in San Francisco are presented.