Profiles of Emerging Adult Online Daters and Psychosocial Cognitions about Condom Use

Abstract

Online dating provides emerging adults with a way of connecting with others more frequently and efficiently than traditional courtship. Online dating sites pose opportunities for relationships and sexual encounters, which may be accompanied by engagement in sexual risk behaviors, such as lack of condom use. The present study used the theory of planned behavior to explore psychosocial cognitions (i.e. constructs) about condom use among online daters. The sample size consisted of N = 156 emerging adults (M age = 20.6) who participated in an online survey of health behaviors and sexual risk. Using attitudes, subjective norms, and self-efficacy about condom use, latent class analysis identified four latent classes: Consistent Condom Users (17%), Inconsistent Condom Users with Low Dating Site Usage (23%), Inconsistent Condom Users with High Dating Site Usage (40%), and Consistent Condom Non-Users (20%). Consistent Condom Non-Users had the highest probability of utilizing dating sites 2+ hours per day, the highest probability of low self-efficacy and low subjective norms about condom use, and a zero probability of using a condom. Inconsistent Condom Users with Low Dating Site Usage and Inconsistent Condom Users with High Dating Site Usage varied in their attitudes and self-efficacy toward condom use. Consistent Condom Users were low on dating site usage, high on all psychosocial constructs, and had a 100% probability of using a condom. Results highlight the need to further explore interventions throughout college campuses and online within dating sites, to strengthen attitudes, subjective norms, and self-efficacy toward condom use among online dating emerging adults.

Self-Efficacy Predictors of Consistent Condom Use among an Ethnically and Racially Diverse Sample of Young Adults

“…In contrast, women with both casual and main partners were less likely to report using a condom at each sexual encounter within the past three months than those with casual partners only, although they were not significantly different from those with main partners only. Consistent condom use involves various psychosocial constructs such as possessing the assuredness of using a condom at each sexual intercourse and having a condom available "just in case" (Aziz et al, 2021;Carmack et al, 2020;Hanna, 1999), as well as the correct use of condoms (Assarzadeh et al, 2019;Gwala, 2019).…”