Social cognitive theory-based predictors of safer sex among African-American college students

Safer sex is important for protection against STDs and HIV/AIDS. Most of the HIV-related research is targeted towards high-risk groups such as prostitutes, gays and substance abusers but there is evidence that HIV/AIDS is increasing in college students particularly among African American college students. The purpose of this study was to study the predictors based on social cognitive theory that can explain safer sex behavior among African-American college students. A cross-sectional survey design was used in this study. A sample of 173 African-American college students was approached to participate in this study until a quota sample of 150 sexually active students was found. Five self-report scales were developed for situational perceptions toward safer sex, expectations for safer sex, self-efficacy for safer sex, self-control for safer sex and practices for safer sex. Readability, face validity and content validity of these scales were established by a panel of six experts in a two round review process. Construct validity of all subscales established by confirmatory factor analyses revealed one factor solutions with factor loadings over 0.40 and Eigen value over 1. Internal consistency for reliability statistics showed Cronbach alphas over 0.70 and test-retest reliability showed correlation coefficient over 0.70. Self-efficacy towards safer sex significantly (p<0.001) predicted 14.7% of variance for safer sex behaviors in a stepwise regression model. Implications for developing interventions based on social cognitive theory for African American college students are presented.