Reliability and validity of a self-efficacy instrument for protective sexual behaviors

J Am Coll Health. 1998 Nov;47(3):113-21. doi: 10.1080/07448489809595631.

Abstract

The authors investigated the psychometric properties of a 22-item scale that measured respondents' perceptions of their ability to refuse sexual intercourse, question potential sexual partners, and use condoms. Two hundred twenty-one male and female undergraduates completed an anonymous questionnaire that measured a wide range of constructs. The scale exhibited good internal consistency, and convergent validity was demonstrated for 5 sexual behavior items (number of sexual partners ever and in the past 3 months, condom use in past 3 months, at last intercourse, and in the future). The instrument appeared to be free of social desirability bias and was reliable and valid for assessing college students' self-efficacy for protective sexual behaviors. College healthcare professionals could administer the instrument to help students determine their levels of self-efficacy for engaging in self-protective behaviors and identify domains in which they may need to improve their skills to reduce their risks of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease or having or causing an unplanned pregnancy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bias
  • Condoms
  • Discriminant Analysis
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregnancy
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sexual Behavior / psychology*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Social Desirability
  • Students / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / standards*