Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine selected factors related to sexual HIV-risk taking behavior, particularly condom usage behavior, of male and female adolescents. A total of 634 adolescents participated in the study. Three hundreds and twenty-seven were male and three hundreds and seven were female. The participants were students from Mattayom 1-6 in high schools and vocational schools in Bangkok recruited to the present study through purposive sampling. Data were gathered using a set of questionnaires. Data were analyzed separately for male and female participants using frequency distribution, percentage, and stepwise multiple regression. Results indicated that seven factors were related to and helped explain condom usage behavior in male participants. These factors were communication with partner about condom usage (beta = .332), self-efficacy in condom usage (beta = .248), alcohol consumption before or during sexual activities (beta = .216), beliefs in condom usage (beta = .124), attitude toward condom usage) beta = .113), parental monitoring (beta = .110), and perceived peer norm (beta = .097). All of the seven factors were related to condom usage behavior of male participants (F = 11.858, p < .001) and accounted for 39.1% of the variability in such behavior. For female participants, six factors were related to and helped explain condom usage behavior in female participants. These factors were communication with partner about condom usage (beta = .316), self-efficacy in condom usage (beta = .275), beliefs in condom usage (beta = .125), attitude toward condom usage (beta = .112), parent-adolescents communication about sex (beta = .099), and parental monitoring (beta = .089). All of the six factors were related to condom usage behavior of female participants (F = 11.900, p < .001) and accounted for 35.2% of the variability in such behavior