Condom Use Self-Efficacy Among Younger Rural Adolescents
The Influence of Parent-Teen Communication, and Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Condoms
Ritchwood, T. D., Penn, D., Peasant, C. J., Albritton, T., & Corbie-Smith, G. (2015). Condom Use Self-Efficacy Among Younger Rural Adolescents: The Influence of Parent-Teen Communication, and Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Condoms. Journal of Early Adolescence, 37(2), 267-283. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431615599065
This study examines the role of condom use knowledge and attitudes, and parent-teen communication about sex and relationship quality on reports of condom use self-efficacy among rural, African American youth. Participants were 465 North Carolinian youth (10-14 years). Results indicated that greater condom use self-efficacy was predicted by greater knowledge of condom use (β = .206; p < .001), more favorable attitudes toward condom use (β = −.20; p < .0001) and parent-teen communication about sex (β = .13; p < .05), and actual parent-teen communication about sex and dating (β = .14; p < .05). There was low agreement between parents and youth on measures related to parent-teen communication about sex. Findings call for interventions targeting improvement of condom use knowledge among early adolescents, as well as parent-teen communication about sex. In addition, given the low parent-teen agreement regarding sexual communication, parent-teen sexual communication is an important point of intervention.
