Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing and False Disclosures in Heterosexual College Students

The authors assessed factors that motivate individuals to report negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody test results, although they had never been tested. In particular, they investigated sexual intimacy motives associated with the needs for affiliation, sex, and dominance as contributing factors for faulty disclosures. Participants were 246 sexually active heterosexual students. Overall, 21% of the sample had been tested for HIV, and most individuals disclosed their results to intimate partners. Of the entire sample, 5% had previously told an intimate sexual partner they were HIV-negative, although they had not been tested. HIV testing and perceptions of partner deceptions with reference to primary prevention efforts and applications are explored.