Self-efficacy for condom use and assertive sexual communication skills among women are related to condom use. However, the reliability and validity of scales used to measure these concepts have not been widely reported. This study examines internal consistency and construct validity of three scales for use in a high risk population. A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was used to collect and analyze data from 75 women recruited from sexually transmitted infection clinics. Participants were 18 to 51 years old (M=27, SD=9.2), English-speaking and HIV negative. Most women were White (69%), heterosexual, single, childless and had a high school degree. The Problems with Condoms Questionnaire (PCQ) is a six item scale measuring male and female condoms application skill. Cronbach α for the PCQ was 0.72 (n=68). Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated moderate correlation on a single factor explaining 40.5% of the within scale variance. The Modified Condom Application Skills Scale (MCASS) is a 19 item Likert scale that measures participant?s level of comfort with using male and female condoms. Low response rates limited analyses to male condom items (α=0.93, n=45), and a single factor model explained 57.6% of the variance. The Modified Sexual Communication and Assertiveness Questionnaire (MSCAQ) is a 10 item Likert scale (α=0.76, n=68) measuring the frequency that women engage their partners in assertive sexual communication. Factor analysis yielded a three-factor model explaining 48% of the variance. These findings suggest that the PCQ and the MCASS are unidimensional scales with moderate internal consistency appropriate for use with high risk populations. The MSCAQ has excellent internal consistency, but requires additional analysis to determine the conceptual nature of the three factor model. Additional reliability and validity testing for female condom scales is necessary to determine the relevance and feasibility of using these scales with women at risk for HIV.
Session #1179 - Community Health
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)