Faculty

Paul Poppen
(Professor, Applied Social Psychology and Chair, Department of Psychology)
Ph.D. 1973, Cornell University.

mail: pjp@gwu.ed

homepage: http://home.gwu.edu/~pjp

In the past decade, much of my research has focused on gender, culture, and health, especially relevant to HIV/AIDS. I have been especially interested in how individuals perceive the risk of their own behavior, and whether that perception of risk influences change in behavior or the adoption of safer behaviors.

A current project is a five year NICHD funded study on "Contextual Factors on Sexual Risk among Latino MSM: (M.C. Zea, PI). This project uses a social psychological approach in the development of a conceptual model in which the immediate context (e.g., the surroundings, the setting, the type of sexual partner, substance use) is examined for its influence on sexual behaviors. This is a multi-method study, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, and will include 600 Brazilian, Colombian, and Dominican MSM in New York City. A recently completed project was a four year NIMH funded study on "Disclosure of HIV Status among Latino Gay Men" (M.C. Zea, PI), which tested a model of both antecedents of disclosure as well as consequences. Ongoing research focuses on college students and their perceptions of the STD/HIV risk associated with sexual behavior. Perception of risk is not especially accurate (e.g., students tend to overestimate the likelihood of HIV transmission) nor strongly motivating (e.g., those who perceive HIV transmission as very efficient do not necessarily use condoms or abstain from sex), although beliefs about the risks associated with specific partners do seem to have motivational properties.

Recent publications:

Poppen, P. J., Reisen, C. A., Zea, M. C., Bianchi, F. T., & Echeverry, J. J. (2005). Serostatus disclosure, seroconcordance, partner relationship, and unprotected anal intercourse among HIV-positive Latino MSM. AIDS Education & Prevention, 17, 228-238.

Ramirez-Valles, J., Fergus, S., Reisen, C.A., Poppen, P.J., & Zea, M.C. (2005). Confronting stigma: Involvement and Psychological Well-being among HIV-positive Latino Gay men. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 27, 101-119.

Zea, M.C., Reisen, C A., Poppen, P.J., Bianchi, F.T., & Echeverry, J. J. (2005). Disclosure of HIV status and Psychological Well-Being Among Latino Gay and Bisexual Men. AIDS & Behavior, 9, 15-26.

Poppen, P.J., Reisen, C.A., Zea, M.C., Bianchi, F.T., & Echeverry, J. J. (2004). Predictors of unprotected anal intercourse among HIV-positive Latino gay and bisexual men. AIDS & Behavior, 8, 379-389.