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Determinants of intentions to practise safe sex among 16–25 year‐olds
Author(s) -
Hardeman Wendy,
Pierro Antonio,
Mannetti Lucia
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of community and applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.042
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1099-1298
pISSN - 1052-9284
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1298(199712)7:5<345::aid-casp431>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - casual , condom , psychology , assertiveness , fatalism , social psychology , safer sex , developmental psychology , habit , human sexuality , sexual behavior , demography , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , medicine , gender studies , family medicine , philosophy , materials science , theology , syphilis , sociology , composite material
This study aimed at predicting intentions to avoid casual sex and to use condoms, through self‐efficacy, attitudes, optimistic bias in perceived risk, knowledge and past sexual risk behaviour. To this end, a mixed‐sex sample of high school and university students between 16 and 25 years completed questionnaires at two points in time. Intentions to avoid casual sex were predicted positively by the attitude towards avoiding casual sex and assertiveness in sexual relationships, and negatively by communication about sex. The intention to use condoms was predicted positively by the perceived benefits of condom use, and negatively by past sexual risk behaviour and fatalism. Gender and sexual experience were found to have a moderating influence, implying that AIDS education should use different messages for these target groups. Since the results show that condom use is quite a powerful habit and that sexually non‐active subjects had more positive intentions towards safe sex, AIDS education should start at a young age in order to establish safe sex habits from the beginning. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.