Communication as a protective factor: evaluation of a life skills HIV/AIDS prevention program for Mexican elementary-school students.
Literature suggests that communication is a protective factor against high-risk sexual behavior. This study assessed the impact of a fourth-grade communication-centered life skills program on attitudes, norms, self-efficacy, behaviors, and intentions toward communication about difficult subjects. Participants included 1,581 low-income Mexican elementary-school children, divided into experimental and control groups. Teachers were trained to replicate the program as part of the school curriculum over 15 to 20 weeks. Students completed self-report questionnaires before and after the program. Multilevel analyses demonstrated the program's statistically significant positive impact on communication about attitudes, self-efficacy, intentions, and behavior; perception of sociocultural norms regarding communication transformed as a result of the program. Gender significantly predicted differences in communication: with respect to attitudes, self-efficacy, and intentions. The results show that early intervention programs targeting communication about difficult subjects can prevent risky sexual behavior and its consequences (e.g., HIV/AIDS) and influence perception of norms and gender roles.
Pick
Susan
S
National University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico. pick@imifap.org.mx
Givaudan
Martha
M
Sirkin
Jenna
J
Ortega
Isaac
I
D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000208:ethnology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012572:School Health Services; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D012925:Social Conformity; D012945:Social Values / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013609:Taboo / Q000523:psychology