Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

Table8-1Greater intention orpledge to abstain fromsex (N=4)Greater intention tohave sex (N=1)Table8-2Number of Studies Reporting Effects ofIntentions on Initiation of SexGreater intention orpledge to abstain fromsex (N=3)Greater intention tohave sex (N=1)Greater intention to usecondoms or contraception(N=4)Table8-3IntentionsLaterInitiationof SexNoSignificantRelationshipEarlierInitiationof Sex3 1 00 0 1Number of Studies Reporting Effects ofIntentions on Condom or Contraceptive UseIncreased Useof Condomsor OtherContraceptivesNoSignificantRelationshipReduced Useof Condomsor OtherContraceptives0 0 31 0 04 0 0Number of Programs Having Effectson IntentionsIntention to abstainfrom sex or restrict sexor partners (N=18)Intention to use condomsor contraception(N=11)Had aPositiveEffectNoSignificantRelationshipHad aNegativeEffect10 8 05 5 1to influence intentions if the proper strategies areimplemented.What are effective teaching methods for improvingintentions?According to the theory of planned behavior,intentions are influenced by attitudes, perceptionsof social norms and self-efficacy (see Figure 1-1 inChapter 1). For example, if youth have attitudesfavoring abstaining from sexual activity, if theyperceive that their parents and peers believe theyshould remain abstinent and if they believe thatthey can remain abstinent, then they are more likelyto intend to remain abstinent than if any of theseconditions are not met. Similarly, if youth have positiveattitudes about condoms, believe that their peerssupport their use of condoms and believe that theycan obtain and use condoms correctly, they are morelikely to intend to use condoms than if any of theseconditions do not exist. Multiple studies have demonstratedthat these factors (attitudes, perception ofnorms and self-efficacy) do, in fact, affect intentions(Armitage and Conner 2001).In practice, this means that to improve intentions,curriculum activities need to change attitudes,perceptions of social norms and self-efficacy. And,of course, because both knowledge and basic valuesaffect attitudes, perceptions of social norms and selfefficacy,improving knowledge and helping clarifyvalues also may improve intentions. Changingthese factors is addressed in previous chapters (seeChapters 2 through 7).A few additional activities may help youth clarifyand implement their intentions. Although youngpeople may intend to abstain from sexual intercourseor to use condoms or other forms of contraception,sometimes their intentions may not be entirely clearto them or well formulated; sometimes young peoplemay not have moved from merely intending to dosomething to making a definite commitment to dosomething; and sometimes they have not thoughtabout the barriers to implementing their intentionsand possible strategies they could employ to overcomethose barriers. Thus, effective curricula shouldinclude specific activities to help youth:1. Formulate and clarify their intentions. Becauseyouth are exposed to many conflicting messagesand pressures, one or more activities should helpyouth make a clear decision about the best behavioralchoices for them. To do so, activities shouldguide them through a process in which theythink about what they have learned; their valuesabout sexual behavior, pregnancy, and STD; theirChapter 8 Improving Intentions 101