Family Environment and Social Skill 21
framework with which to explore risks associated with sexual behavior. This may be particularly
true for women.
Another important implication of this study is the role that social skill plays for both
women and men. For women, sexual communication skill is related to less HIV risk based on
having fewer past sexual partners, while, for men, social skill was related to greater likelihood to
use condoms. This study also demonstrates that social skill for women may be learned,
reinforced, and/or maintained within the family of origin, supporting the idea that the family of
origin has profound implications for the reduction of women’s HIV risk behaviors. Social skill
also performs an important role in reducing men’s HIV risk via condom use. However, it is
important to note that we cannot and should not imply causality in these relationships. Further
study is necessary to parse out the specifics of causality related to family environment, social
skill, and HIV risk behaviors.
Future research in this area must consider sexual behavior within the context of relational
dyads. Additionally, it is necessary to consider the differences between women and men.
Scholars in this area of research also need to consider the role of social skill in negotiating
condom use and sexual behavior in the future. Because the number of partners women report and
condom usage of men are each related to social skill, the ordering and causal mechanisms behind
this relationship warrant more study. If social skill does indeed predict these "safer" sex
behaviors, a reasonable expectation might be the development of social skill interventions to
reduce future HIV risk behaviors.
Convention