Abstract:
The purposes of this correlational predictive research were to examine correlation between self efficacy, attitudes toward contraception, attitude toward pregnancy, normative social belief and partner children need and to identify predictive factors of contraceptive behavior. Two hundred and eighty vocational female students in the upper north of Thailand were recruited using multistage random sampling. Data were collected using self efficacy questionnaire, attitude toward contraception questionnaire, attitude toward pregnancy questionnaire, normative social belief questionnaire, partner children need questionnaire and contraception questionnaire. The questionnaires were tested for their content validity by a panel of expert. Their Cronbachs alpha coefficients were .84, .81, .85, .82, .80, and .83, respectively. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlations and stepwise multiple regression. The results revealed that: 1. Perceived self efficacy, attitude toward contraception and social normative belief were positively and significantly related to contraceptive behavior among vocational female students (r = .40, .13 and .37, p < .05). Partner children need was negatively and significantly related to contraception (r = -.160, p <.05). However, attitude toward pregnancy was not significantly related to contraception(r = -.003, p > .05). 2. Perceived self efficacy (β = .31), social normative belief (β = .28) and partner children need (β = -.16)were significant predictors of contraceptive behavior. Predictive variables accounted for 25.5% of total variance in contraceptive behavior.