Psychological Factors and Sexual Risk Behaviors: A Multidimensional Model Based on the Chilean Population

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a global health problem, with sexual risk behaviors (SRB) being the main routes of spreading the virus. Evidence indicates that different psychological factors influence SRB (e.g., attitude towards condoms, sexual self-concept, sexual sensation seeking, knowledge of sexual risk behaviors, risk perception). This study proposes an explanatory model of sexual risk behaviors in young people and adults. The sample consisted of 992 young people and adults aged between 18 and 35 years. The model presented good levels of fit (X2 = 3311.433, df = 1471, CFI = 0.964, TLI = 0.959, RMSEA = 0.036), explaining 56% of the variance of sexual activity with multiple partners, 77% of the inadequate use of protective barriers, and 58.8% of sexual activity under the influence of alcohol or drugs from a set of psychological factors in self-report measures. The details of the results offer novel contextual evidence for the prioritization of prevention-oriented psychosocial interventions.

[1]  R. Ballester-Arnal,et al.  Factors Associated with Condom Use in Vaginal Intercourse Among Spanish Heterosexual and Bisexual Men , 2022, Sexuality Research and Social Policy.

[2]  Chiranjivi Adhikari,et al.  Determinants of condom use during last sexual intercourse among male college youth of Kaski, Nepal: A cross-sectional survey , 2021, PloS one.

[3]  Nam Nguyen,et al.  Sexual Risk Behaviors, HIV Prevalence and Access to Reproductive Health Services Among Young Women Migrant Workers in the Industrial Zones in Vietnam , 2021, Frontiers in Reproductive Health.

[4]  Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina,et al.  Development and Evidence of the Validity of the Condom Use Attitudes Scale for Youth and Adults in a Chilean Context , 2021, Frontiers in Psychology.

[5]  Xianxin Meng,et al.  Factors associated with risk sexual behaviours of HIV/STDs infection among university students in Henan, China: a cross-sectional study , 2021, Reproductive Health.

[6]  Dafne Astrid Gómez Melasio,et al.  A Systematic Review of Individual, Psychological and Sociocultural Factors Associated with Safe and Risky Sexual Behavior in Older Adults , 2021 .

[7]  Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina,et al.  Desarrollo de una Escala para Valorar Conocimiento sobre Situaciones y Conductas de Riesgo de Contagio de VIH, en Jóvenes y Adultos Jóvenes en un Contexto Latinoamericano , 2021, Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnóstico y Evaluación – e Avaliação Psicológica.

[8]  R. Ballester-Arnal,et al.  Factors Associated with Condom Use in Anal Intercourse Among Spanish Men Who Have Sex with Men: Proposal for an Explanatory Model , 2021, AIDS and Behavior.

[9]  M. Leach,et al.  Local Covid-19 Syndemics and the Need for an Integrated Response , 2021 .

[10]  Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina,et al.  Development and validity evidence of the Two-Dimensional Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale , 2020 .

[11]  Ayele Tilahun,et al.  Knowledge, attitude and practice towards risky sexual behaviors among secondary and preparatory students of Metu town, south western Ethiopia , 2020, BMC Public Health.

[12]  Mengesha Srahbzu,et al.  Risky Sexual Behavior and Associated Factors among Adolescents Aged 15-19 Years at Governmental High Schools in Aksum Town, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2019: An Institution-Based, Cross-Sectional Study , 2020, BioMed research international.

[13]  Shiyue Li,et al.  Relationship between sexual sensation seeking and condom use among young men who have sex with men in China: testing a moderated mediation model , 2020, AIDS care.

[14]  Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina,et al.  Development and evidence of validity of the HIV risk perception scale for young adults in a Hispanic-American context , 2020, PloS one.

[15]  C. Tzourio,et al.  Health Risk Behaviors and Self-Esteem Among College Students: Systematic Review of Quantitative Studies , 2020, International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

[16]  Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina,et al.  Development and validity evidence of the multidimensional scale of sexual self-concept in a Spanish-speaking context , 2019, Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica.

[17]  Simon Shibru,et al.  Effects of comprehensive sexuality education on the comprehensive knowledge and attitude to condom use among first-year students in Arba Minch University: a quasi-experimental study , 2019, BMC Research Notes.

[18]  Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina.  Scale Of Risk Behaviors, Associated With STI / HIV-AIDS, For Young Chileans , 2019 .

[19]  Jamileh Farokhzadian,et al.  HIV/AIDS prevention education: An effective tool for enhancing street children's knowledge and attitude. A randomized controlled trial , 2019, Children and Youth Services Review.

[20]  Hubert Amu,et al.  Understanding the Socio-demographic Factors Surrounding Young Peoples’ Risky Sexual Behaviour in Ghana and Kenya , 2019, Journal of Community Health.

[21]  T. Peter,et al.  Which community-based HIV initiatives are effective in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets? A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence (2007-2018) , 2019, PloS one.

[22]  R. Remien,et al.  Mental health and HIV/AIDS: the need for an integrated response , 2019, AIDS.

[23]  C. Lancelot,et al.  Examining Relationships Between Sexual Risk–Safety Behaviors and Physical Self-Concept by Gender: A Cluster Analytical Approach , 2019 .

[24]  Juan José Egozcue Rubí,et al.  Survey Data on Perceptions of Contraceptive Methods as Compositional Tables , 2018 .

[25]  D. Operario,et al.  Trends and emerging directions in HIV risk and prevention research in the Philippines: A systematic review of the literature , 2018, PloS one.

[26]  P. Ramírez-Correa,et al.  Predicting Condom Use among Undergraduate Students Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Coquimbo, Chile, 2016 , 2018, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[27]  S. Choi,et al.  Condom use intentions mediate the relationships between psychosocial constructs and HIV sexual risk behavior in young Black men who have sex with men , 2018, AIDS care.

[28]  S. Dalal,et al.  Social intolerance, risky sexual behaviors and their association with HIV knowledge among Ugandan adults: results from a national survey , 2018, AIDS care.

[29]  W. Mekonnen,et al.  The prevalence of risky sexual behaviors among youth center reproductive health clinics users and non-users in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A comparative cross-sectional study , 2018, PloS one.

[30]  Mary E. M. McKillip,et al.  Education‐based disparities in knowledge of novel health risks: The case of knowledge gaps in HIV risk perceptions , 2018, British journal of health psychology.

[31]  K. Mayer,et al.  HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis: A Review , 2018, JAMA.

[32]  M. Friend,et al.  Estimated HIV incidence and prevalence in the United States 2010–2015 , 2018 .

[33]  Jeremy W. Luk,et al.  Impulsivity Dimensions and Risky Sex Behaviors in an At-Risk Young Adult Sample , 2018, Archives of sexual behavior.

[34]  James B Schreiber,et al.  Update to core reporting practices in structural equation modeling. , 2017, Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP.

[35]  R. Stephenson,et al.  “I consider being gay a very high risk factor”: How Perceptions of a Partner’s Sexual Identity Influence Perceptions of HIV Risk Among Gay and Bisexual Men , 2017 .

[36]  Z. Haile,et al.  HIV Risk Perception Among College Students at a University in the Midwest , 2017 .

[37]  Tamara Otzen,et al.  Técnicas de Muestreo sobre una Población a Estudio , 2017 .

[38]  A. Lawal,et al.  Psychosocial factors predicting risky sexual behaviour among long distance truck drivers in Lagos, Nigeria , 2017, SAHARA J : journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance.

[39]  Cheng-Hsien Li.  Confirmatory factor analysis with ordinal data: Comparing robust maximum likelihood and diagonally weighted least squares , 2016, Behavior research methods.

[40]  M. E. Timmerman,et al.  Using Exploratory Factor Analysis to Determine the Dimensionality of Discrete Responses , 2015 .

[41]  Christine DiStefano,et al.  A Comparison of Diagonal Weighted Least Squares Robust Estimation Techniques for Ordinal Data , 2014 .

[42]  M. Ato,et al.  Un sistema de clasificación de los diseños de investigación en psicología , 2013 .

[43]  Khodabakhsh Ahmadi,et al.  Perceived Risk Modifies the Effect of HIV Knowledge on Sexual Risk Behaviors , 2013, Front. Public Health.

[44]  Sheng-Hwang Chen,et al.  Relationships among sexual self-concept, sexual risk cognition and sexual communication in adolescents: a structural equation model. , 2011, Journal of clinical nursing.

[45]  F. Gibbons,et al.  Parental Involvement Promotes Rural African American Youths’ Self-Pride and Sexual Self-Concepts , 2005 .

[46]  K. MacIntyre,et al.  Understanding Perceptions of HIV Risk Among Adolescents in KwaZulu-Natal , 2004, AIDS and Behavior.

[47]  W. E. Snizek,et al.  The influences of knowledge of HIV/AIDS and self-esteem on the sexual practices of college students , 1996 .

[48]  S. Kalichman,et al.  Sexual sensation seeking: scale development and predicting AIDS-risk behavior among homosexually active men. , 1994, Journal of personality assessment.

[49]  R. W. Rogers,et al.  A Protection Motivation Theory of Fear Appeals and Attitude Change1. , 1975, The Journal of psychology.

[50]  M. Becker,et al.  Sociobehavioral Determinants of Compliance with Health and Medical Care Recommendations , 1975, Medical care.

[51]  Jacob Cohen.  Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences , 1969, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Research Design.

[52]  C. Dolea,et al.  World Health Organization , 1949, International Organization.

[53]  Victor W. K. Mak,et al.  An Operational Approach , 2011 .

[54]  C Abraham,et al.  Psychosocial correlates of heterosexual condom use: a meta-analysis. , 1999, Psychological bulletin.

[55]  Icek Ajzen,et al.  From Intentions to Actions: A Theory of Planned Behavior , 1985 .