Searching for the Magic Johnson effect: AIDS, adolescents, and celebrity disclosure.
The objectives of this study were to measure changes in AIDS-related attitudes and behaviors in adolescents in the 13 months following Magic Johnson's disclosure that he was HIV positive, and to test whether gender, race, age, sexual experience, and pre-existing HIV-avoidant behaviors would emerge as significant dependent variables. Adolescent clinic attendees (N = 181) ages 12-19 in four cities completed a questionnaire assessing change in AIDS-related attitudes and behaviors since Johnson's announcement. Respondents were divided into low-risk and at-risk groups. Sixty percent of respondents reported that Magic Johnson's announcement had increased their awareness of AIDS, 65.4% reported increased self-efficacy in a sexual situation, 37.2% reported that they had changed their perceived AIDS risk, 37.8% described increased resistance to peer pressure for sexual intercourse. The low-risk group was more likely to report increased self-efficacy and resistance to peer pressure but no change in perceived risk or increased AIDS awareness. Significant relationships were found between gender and increased AIDS awareness, gender and increased resistance to peer pressure to engage in sexual intercourse, race and increased AIDS awareness, and more lifetime sex partners and increased self-efficacy.
Brown
B R
BR
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Maine, USA.
Baranowski
M D
MD
Kulig
J W
JW
Stephenson
J N
JN
Perry
B
B
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001490:Basketball; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005197:Famous Persons; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012737:Sex Factors; D019529:Sexuality; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D014481:United States