Some Psychological Correlates of Adolescent Sexual Behaviour And HIV/AIDS Prevention
Date
2003-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
A survey of 240 adolescents comprising 112 males and 128 females was conducted to
find out how perceived control, self-esteem, HIV/AIDS knowledge and general
anxiety predicted their perception of HIV/AIDS risk, ability to buy condoms and
condom use at first sexual intercourse. An HIV/AIDS prevention program was piloted
with 30 participants to assess its impact on participants' health locus of control, self efficacy
and HIV/AIDS knowledge at pre- and post- test periods.
A regression analysis of the survey indicated that perceived control, HN I AIDS
knowledge and self-esteem predicted ability to buy condom. The significance of this
for assertiveness training to enhance perceived control over adolescents' health
outcomes is highlighted.
An interesting finding on adolescent sexual experience was that 65 per cent of the
sample at the time of the survey had not had sex before. This is corroborated by the
Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS, 1998) that reported 62 per cent of
women as abstaining. The implication of this for girl-child education is discussed.
Though statistical analysis of the intervention gave no significant result, the
enthusiasm with which students enrolled in it showed a lack of an appropriate forum to
talk about sex.
Description
MPhil in Clinical Psychology
Keywords
Psychological Correlates, Adolescent Sexual Behaviour, HIV/AIDS, Ghana