Year: 2018
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The purposes of this causal relationship research were to develop and test the causal relationship model of safe sex behaviors in female adolescents. The samples consisted of 374 female vocational students under the Office of the Vocational Education Commission in the western region of Thailand obtained by a multi-stage sampling technique. The research instruments used were questionnaire, the assessment forms with the reliability in range of .76-.94, and the scale with the reliability of .77. Data were collected from April to June, 2015. Statistics used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings indicated that the causal model for safe sex behaviors in female adolescents was consistent with empirical data at a good level (X2/ df = 1.890, GFI = .95, AGFI = .92, CFI = .97, TLI = .95, RMR = .04, RMSEA = .05). Safe sex intentions and sexual sensation seeking directly affected safe sex behaviors, whereas perceived social norms for safe sex behaviors, mother-daughter safe sex communication, attitude toward safe sex behaviors, and perceived safe sex behavioral control indirectly affected safe sex behaviors. All variables were able to jointly predict the safe sex behaviors of female adolescents by 81 percent (R2 = .81, p < .001). The best predictor was safe sex intentions (β = .88, p < .001), and the most influential influence pathway was perceived safe sex behavioral control, which indirectly affected safe sex intentions, leading to safe sex behaviors in female adolescents (β = .36, p < .001). This study suggested that nurses should promote participative activities between close friends, positive attitudes, and increased confidence and ability in controlling behaviors in female students with sexual experience. Additionally, schools should develop extracurricular activities that enhance female vocational students the potential in safe sex behavioral control in addition to safe sex intentions.
Institution: Burapha University
Language: Thai
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7219334107