Title: The moderating role of self-efficacy beliefs in the relationship between anticipated feelings of regret and condom use.

POPLINE Document Number: 133154

Author(s):

Bakker AB
Buunk BP
Manstead AS

Source citation:

JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 1997 Nov 16-30;27(22):2001-14.

Abstract:

Unlike other health risks such as heart disease and lung cancer, HIV can be contracted through one single act of unsafe sex. If individuals realize this, they may anticipate experiencing considerable regret and self-blame after having engaged in unsafe sex. A prospective study involving 51 male and 49 female undergraduate self-described heterosexual students at the University of Groningen, Netherlands, of mean age 21 years, was conducted to examine how the feelings of regret and self-blame a person anticipates after having unsafe sex affect condom use in new sexual relationships. Of concern is whether self-efficacy perceptions can moderate the relationship between anticipated feelings and actual condom use. 53% of the students reported having more than one new sexual relationship during the preceding year, 72% of whom did not always use condoms in the encounters. Consistent with theories of anticipated regret and social cognitive learning, participants were most likely to use condoms when they anticipated negative feelings as a result of not using condoms and positive feelings after having used condoms, especially when they believed that they were capable of controlling their sexual situations. Implications are discussed for interventions designed to promote safer sex.

Keywords:

Netherlands
Research Report
Beliefs
Regret
Condom
HIV Infections
AIDS
Safer Sex
Risk Behavior
Self-Perception
Students
Youth
Universities
Europe, Western
Europe
Developed Countries
Culture
Psychological Factors
Behavior
Barrier Methods
Contraceptive Methods
Contraception
Family Planning
Viral Diseases
Diseases
Sex Behavior
Perception
Education
Age Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Schools