Determinants of intentions to practise safe sex among 16–25 year-olds

Abstract

This study aimed at predicting intentions to avoid casual sex and to use condoms, through self-efficacy, attitudes, optimistic bias in perceived risk, knowledge and past sexual risk behaviour. To this end, a mixed-sex sample of high school and university students between 16 and 25 years completed questionnaires at two points in time. Intentions to avoid casual sex were predicted positively by the attitude towards avoiding casual sex and assertiveness in sexual relationships, and negatively by communication about sex. The intention to use condoms was predicted positively by the perceived benefits of condom use, and negatively by past sexual risk behaviour and fatalism. Gender and sexual experience were found to have a moderating influence, implying that AIDS education should use different messages for these target groups. Since the results show that condom use is quite a powerful habit and that sexually non-active subjects had more positive intentions towards safe sex, AIDS education should start at a young age in order to establish safe sex habits from the beginning.

The structure of attitudes: Attribute importance, accessibility and judgment

“…Similar ®ndings have been obtained by other researchers (e.g. Hardeman, Pierro, & Mannetti, 1997). A behavioural domain with a less homogenous behavioural distribution might amplify the diå erences obtained here.…”

Culture and Extremism

“…Put simply, fatalism may enable risky behaviors known to have potentially adverse consequences because they can be "justified" as preordained. Compared to individuals low on fatalism, for example, those high on fatalism are less likely to engage in health and safety behaviors (Colón, 1992;Hardeman, Pierro, & Mannetti, 1997;McClure, Allen, & Walkey, 2001;Powe & Finnie, 2003), and have more deaths due to risky behaviors (e.g., traffic accidents) (Gelfand, Fulmer, Kruglanski, Abdel-Latif, Khashan et al 2010). Extending this literature, we predicted that fatalism would lead to a reduction in individuals' perceptions of personal control, a decreased sense of personal responsibility (Aycan, Kanungo, Mendonca, Yu, Deller et al, 2000), and the use of external sources (e.g., god) as a justification for one's actions.…”

Understanding the Dynamics Behind the Relationship Between Exposure to Negative Consequences of Risky Sex on Entertainment Television and Emerging Adults' Safe-Sex Attitudes and Intentions

“…Studies have shown that participants' sexual risk experience (i.e., number of partners, past condom use, and=or casual sex experience) can negatively influence their behavioral intentions to act in a sexually responsible manner (Abraham, Sheeran, Spears, & Abrams, 1992;Conner & Flesch, 2001;Hardeman, Pierro, & Mannetti, 1997;Middlestadt & Fishbein, 1990). One study found that sexual attitudes exerted influence only on the intentions to use condoms of female college students who had little sexual experience (Middlestadt & Fishbein, 1990).…”

“…Research has confirmed that young people's unsafe sex practices are resistant to change (Abraham et al, 1992;Hardeman et al, 1997, Sutton, 1994. Specifically, studies have found that the more sexual risk experience young people have, the more likely they are to intend to engage in casual sex and avoid use of condoms (Abraham et al, 1992;Hardeman et al, 1997;Sutton, 1994).…”

“…Specifically, studies have found that the more sexual risk experience young people have, the more likely they are to intend to engage in casual sex and avoid use of condoms (Abraham et al, 1992;Hardeman et al, 1997;Sutton, 1994). These findings have led some scholars to assert that past sexual risk behavior should be treated as an independent predictor, or antecedent, of an emerging adult's sexual attitudes and behavioral intentions (Albarracin, Fishbein, & Middlestadt, 1998;Sutton, 1994).…”