An online tool to assess parent-child relationship and communication about sex on self-efficacy of sexual activities among students attending HBCUs

Background: Family variables have been shown to promote abstinence or decreased risky sexual activities among African American youth. Objective: This study examines some of the culturally-valued factors, such as parent-child relationship, family communication about sex, and religion, and their relationships with self-efficacy on sexual activities and related values among HBCU students. Methods: An online assessment tool, developed based on literature review and feedback from an expert panel, was administered among students attending selected HBCUs in southeastern U.S. (valid n=372). Results: Reliabilities showed all of the scales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistencies: parent-child relationship quality (3-item; alpha=.76); family communication about sex and relationships (3-item; alpha=.82); religiosity (3-item; alpha=.84); self-efficacy of sexual activities (8-items; alpha=.77); view of condom-use as infidelity (3-item; alpha=.73); and sexual self concept (3-item; alpha=.88). Corrected-item-total correlations (CITC) were sufficient (all CITC above .20 and ranged .25~.81; valid n ranged 183~265). Analyses showed parent-child relationship correlated positively with family communication about sex, stronger religiosity, higher self-efficacy of sexual activities, and lower perceived view of condom-use as infidelity (VCUI) (p<.001). More family communication also correlated with higher self-efficacy and favorable religiosity; and higher sexual self-efficacy correlated positively with higher self-sexual concept and lower perceived VCUI. Data also showed that males overall had lower sexual self-efficacy and higher perceived VCUI. Conclusions: The online assessment tool showed satisfactory reliabilities of measuring culturally-valued factors and beliefs towards sex among HBCU students. Study findings have implication on promoting positive and safer sexual beliefs and values via strengthening family influence among African American communities.