Self-efficacy and HIV-related risk behaviors among multiethnic adolescents.

Abstract

A cross-sectional correlational design was used to investigate (a) self-efficacy and risk behaviors related to HIV; (b) the comparative predictiveness of self-efficacy and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding sexual activity and substance use; and (c) possible risk profiles for HIV among adolescents. High school students (N = 427), ranging in age from 12 to 20 years and attending Family Life Education classes in Alameda, California, volunteered to complete a self-administered questionnaire, resulting in a 73% response rate. Ethnic representation included African American, Chinese, Filipino, other Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, and European American. Over half of this sample of teens were sexually active by the age of 14, with sexually active teens and substance-using teens scoring higher on HIV knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding HIV-related behaviors. Ethnicity consistently appeared more significant in predicting these risk behaviors than gender, self-efficacy, and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. The predominance of ethnicity as the predictor for these HIV risk behaviors indicates that theoretical models for behavior change must include a dimension of culture, diversity, and ethnic identity.

The Strong African American Families Program: Longitudinal Pathways to Sexual Risk Reduction

“…Faryna and Morales stress that the development of theory related to adolescent sexual risk behavior requires the incorporation of culture and racial identity [16]. This and other elements of self-pride, including self-esteem and body image, are important protective factors associated with reduced sexual risk during adolescence [17].…”

I Can Use a Condom, I Just Don’t: The Importance of Motivation to Prevent HIV in Adolescent Seeking Psychiatric Care

“…First, the explanation could be due to a number of methodological factors. We included sexual abstainers in the analyses and previous reports indicate that sexually active youths score higher on measures of self-efficacy (Faryna and Morales, 2000), the same type of behavioral skills measure used in this study. Sexually abstinent teens may be less likely to report efficacy to engage in preventive behaviors, because they do not plan to have sex at all.…”

Predictors of Adolescent Sexual Behavior and Intention: A Theory-Guided Systematic Review

“…Eleven reports examined the empirical relationship between self-efficacy and sexual behavior. Seven studies found protective effects of self-efficacy to negotiate safer sex [38], resist peer pressure to have sex [65], delay initiation of sexual intercourse [67], avoid sexual activity or risky sexual behavior [29,69,72], and to remain abstinent [58]. However, five reports revealed no effects of selfefficacy or perceived behavioral control on various sexual behavior/intention outcomes such as sexual intercourse intention, engaging in risky sexual behavior, ever having had sex, or refusing unwanted sex [13,18,38,57,64].…”