Testing a safer sex behavioral intervention that developed safer sex behavioral skills among African American College students based on Social Cognitive Theory

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. Very few of the social cognitive theory constructs have been used to predict safer sex behaviors in college students . The purpose of this study was to evaluate a safer sex behavior intervention (based on Social Cognitive Theory-SCT constructs) that developed safer sex behavioral skills among African-American college students. A cross-sectional survey design was used in this study for instrumentation. The design used for testing the theory-based intervention among target population of African American college students is a one between and one within repeated measures design.A convenience sample of 140 African-American college students from all majors, undergraduate and graduate students was randomized into two arms of the intervention such that there were equal groups of 70 students in each arm of the intervention and comparison group. Data was analysed for descriptive statistics, such as mean, median, range and frequency Repeated measures analysis of variance was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The pretest and post test group differences among both arms of students were measured. Relationships between significant social cognitive theory variables and changes in safer sex were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis