The Influence of Attributions, Emotions, and Sexual Health Knowledge on Support Provision to Friends with Sexual Health Uncertainties.

When experiencing sexual health uncertainties, emerging adults often rely on friends for support; however, the support provided is not always helpful. This study situates support in response to uncertainty within appraisal and attribution theories to explain nurturant, informational, and tangible support provision. Study 1 coded 441 participants' responses to open-ended questions about a recent conversation about a friend's sexual health uncertainty. It revealed that stability and responsibility attributions were made, and fear was the most common emotion described. Desire to provide support and knowledge also were prominent themes. Study 2's online survey of 248 emerging adults indicated that the more support providers assigned blame for the sexual health uncertainty to the friend, the more fear support providers experienced, yet the more fear experienced, the more nurturant, informational, and tangible support they provided. Perceived sexual health knowledge diminished the association between blame attributions and support provision.