Document 2634
 DOCN  M94A2634
 TI    Drug injectors may underreport drug risk but not sexual risk behavior.
 DT    9412
 AU    Gibson DR; Young M; Choi K; Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Univ. of
       California, San; Francisco.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):26 (abstract no. 077C). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369941
 AB    OBJECTIVE: Some have questioned the veracity of drug users'
       self-reports. In this study we attempted to determine whether
       self-presentation bias might result in drug injectors underreporting
       injection-related and sexual risk behavior. METHOD: 500 San Francisco
       Bay Area heroin injectors were interviewed about their sexual and
       injection practices at entry to 21-day detoxification treatment, and
       administered a 20-item short form of the Marlowe-Crowne social
       desirability scale. The scale measures the tendency of respondents to
       exaggerate positive and deny negative personal traits. To examine
       whether social desirability influences self-reports of risk behavior,
       social desirability scores were broken into quartiles and
       cross-tabulated with dichotomous measures of risk behavior. RESULTS: The
       data suggest that self-reported injection risk behavior may be
       significantly underreported due to self-presentation bias, while
       self-reports of sexual risk behaviors appear uncontaminated by social
       desirability. TABULAR DATA, SEE ABSTRACT VOLUME. DISCUSSION AND
       CONCLUSIONS: We have no reason to believe that respondents' actual
       behavior differed by level of social desirability. The levels of risk
       behavior reported by the respondents in the lowest quartile of social
       desirability may approach those we would obtain if self-presentation
       bias did not color self-reports. Reports of risk reduction among drug
       injectors may need to be corroborated by other evidence. Studies of drug
       users' injection behavior may need to correct statistically for social
       desirability.
 DE    Female  Heroin Dependence/*PSYCHOLOGY  Human  Male  *Risk-Taking  Self
       Assessment (Psychology)  *Sex Behavior  Social Desirability  Substance
       Abuse, Intravenous/*PSYCHOLOGY  MEETING ABSTRACT

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