Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, Geosocial Networking App Use, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Latinx Sexual Minority Men in the US: Acculturation as Moderator.

Abstract

Latinx sexual minority men (SMM) living in the U.S. endure intersectional oppression which has been linked to their engagement in sexual risk behaviors, increasing their risk for adverse outcomes such as HIV/STI/STD contraction and ongoing poverty. While research extensively documents the sexual behaviors of Latinx SMM, there is a lack of research examining the influence of their online experiences specifically. Addressing this gap, the present study investigated the influence of appearance- related social media consciousness (ASMC) and geosocial networking (GSN) app use intensity on sexual risk behaviors among a sample of 438 Latinx SMM. The study also explored the potential moderating effects of traditional machismo and acculturation in the aforementioned associations. Results revealed that both ASMC and GSN app use intensity were positively associated with sexual risk behaviors. Furthermore, acculturation moderated the positive significant association between ASMC and sexual risk behaviors, such that the association was only significant among Latinx SMM who reported high levels of acculturation. Traditional machismo did not moderate any of the other associations. Overall, these findings highlight the complex ways in which Latinx SMM's online experiences are influenced by cultural values and processes, and how these experiences are related to their sexual behaviors.