Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Lo, Serena C

Titel

Psychosocial correlates of college students' intentions to seek testing for sexually transmitted infections

Erscheinungsjahr

2011

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The purpose of this study was to examine sexually active college students' intentions to seek testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) using the theory of reasoned action as a guiding framework. Sexually active individuals (220 women, 162 men) between the ages of 18 and 25 years completed a web-based survey assessing past sexual behaviors and perceptions related to STIs and STI testing. As Hypotheses 1 and 2 predicted, multiple regression analyses showed that positive attitudes, favorable subjective norms, and greater perceived vulnerability to STIs were significantly positively associated with stronger intentions to get tested, even after controlling for gender and past STI testing. In partial support of Hypothesis 3, as participants' reported number of lifetime sexual partners increased, so did perceived vulnerability to STIs. However, there was no significant interaction between absent-exempt endorsement (i.e., the belief that one is "exempt" from experiencing an adverse outcome, regardless of one's behavior, because the outcome has failed to occur after the passage of some amount of time) and lifetime number of sexual partners in predicting risk perceptions, although greater absent-exempt endorsement had a significantly negative main effect on risk perceptions. Moreover, the strength of this association appeared to vary depending on whether participants' recent sexual behavior involved a steady versus casual partner. Hypothesis 4 was also only somewhat supported: perceived vulnerability partially mediated the association between number of sexual partners and intentions to seek STI testing among women, but not men. Because perceptions of vulnerability were related to STI testing intentions, but were only weakly predicted by the number of sexual partners respondents reported, it is important to gain a better understanding about how risk perceptions are formulated, the origins of absent-exempt cognitions, and how these perceptions can be influenced in ways that encourage at-risk individuals to seek appropriate STI testing. This study integrated findings from prior research, confirmed the continued importance of identifying the attitudinal and normative bases of individuals' intentions to seek testing, and provided a conceptual model for guiding future research efforts aimed at improving rates of STI testing. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by addressing your request to ProQuest, 789 E. Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346. Telephone 1-800-521-3042; email: disspub@umi.com