HIV risk behavior and theory-based psychosocial determinants in hispanic and non-hispanic white adolescents

This study assesses differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents in HIV risk behaviors and psychosocial determinants selected from Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986), the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975), and the Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, 1974). The data were collected in an in-school survey administered to a sample of Texas high school students. Among females, sexual activity and condom use differed between Hispanics and non-Hispanics. However, there were no significant differences in sexual experience or frequency of condom use between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white males. Models examining the relationship between theory-based psychosocial determinants and the intention to abstain from sex accounted for between 35 percent (white males) and 61 percent (Hispanic males) of the variance. Models examining the relationship between psychosocial determinants and the intention to use a condom predicted 12 percent of the variance for Hispanic females and between 24 and 26 percent of the variance for the other groups. Attitude was the strongest determinant in both models. In general, other variables important in predicting intentions differed by ethnic/gender group. Theory-based psychosocial determinants were associated with HIV risk behavior in the expected direction for all groups. Implications for intervention design are discussed.