title: Self-efficacy for AIDS preventive behaviors among tenth grade students.
abstract: To guide acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention program planning, 181 tenth grade students residing in or near an AIDS epicenter completed a survey measuring past year involvement in sexual intercourse and condom use, beliefs about self-efficacy for AIDS preventive behaviors, and beliefs about susceptibility to and severity of AIDS, and outcome efficacy of AIDS preventive actions. A degree of uncertainty existed for all areas of self-efficacy surveyed: refusing sexual intercourse under a variety of circumstances, questioning sex partners about past risky behaviors, and correct and consistent condom use. Students were most uncertain of their ability to refuse sex with a desirable partner, under pressure, or after drinking alcohol or using marijuana; to purchase condoms, or use them consistently after drinking alcohol or using marijuana; and to question partners about past homosexual history. Those students with lower self-efficacy for refusing sex were twice as likely to have had sexual intercourse. Similarly, those students with lower self-efficacy for correct, consistent condom use were five times less likely to have used condoms consistently. These associations remained even after adjusting for the influence of other AIDS-related beliefs. Implications of these findings focus on exploiting the link between self-efficacy and behavior by building a prevention program that emphasizes skills-building rather than the traditional knowledge-only approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasen
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D003275:Contraceptive Devices, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior