Background and significance: Increasing rates of HIV/AIDS infections among youth draws attention to the needs for emphasizing the reduction of risky sexual behavior, a major contributor to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Studies indicated that depressed adolescents may manifest lower self-efficacy to avoiding risky sexual behavior, and people with higher self-efficacy may be less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. However, few researchers have examined the relationship between self-efficacy and depression and adolescent risky sexual behavior. The insufficient understanding limits nurses’ ability to provide effective programs for reducing adolescents’ risky sexual behaviors. Purpose and method: This cross-sectional correlational descriptive study, using Bandura’ Social Cognitive Theory as theoretical framework, was designed to examine the relationships among the variables. One hundred and sixty-nine (girls=90, boy=79) Taiwanese high school students who were 16-18 year-old and had ever have sexual intercourse experience were recruited and asked to complete the reliable and valid questionnaires. Results: Girls had significantly higher self-efficacy, higher depression scores, and less risky sexual behaviors than boys. While two important intervening variables, substance use and age, were controlled as covariates, self-efficacy had a negative relationship with risky sexual behaviors in both girls and boys. Only among girls, self-efficacy demonstrated a significant negative relationship with depression. Both girls and boys, with higher depression scores were not found to engage in more risky sexual behaviors. Conclusion: This study suggests that the relationship of depression to self-efficacy should be considered while developing a program to enhance self-efficacy for preventing risky sexual behavior in female adolescents.
Session #1187 - Adolescence & Sexuality
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)