This study will examine two hypotheses. First, it is hypothesized that women who suffer from mild depression will be more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than women who suffer from more severe depression. This is because women suffering from mild depression are less likely to be engaged in a stringent treatment protocol. Second, it is hypothesized that women suffering from depression who maintain their treatment protocols will be less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior than will women suffering from depression who neglect their treatment protocols. It is further hypothesized that these relationship will hold across ethnic, age, and socio-economic levels.
The dependent variable in this study is risky sexual behavior. The independent variable are level of depression (mild or severe) and maintenance of treatment protocol for depression. Moderating variables are age, ethnicity, and SES.
Local public health clinics will be contacted and asked to participate in the study. The clinics will be given a description of the study and a request to solicit volunteer subjects. Subjects will be guaranteed confidentiality. Solicitations will continue at more clinics in a wider geographical area until at least 30 subjects are obtained.
There are two primary threats to external validity in this study. First, the subjects in this study are all self-selected. The only way to control for thi
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