Date of Award

1993

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Lisa L. Harlow

Abstract

The present investigation was an initial attempt to apply the Transtheoretical Model to the area of HIV risk in adolescents. Adolescents were staged on readiness to change twelve HIV risk-related behaviors with the levels: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance. Several variables were examined to see if differences in responses existed for adolescents in various stages of change including: (1) General AIDS Knowledge, (2) Knowledge of AIDS Transmission, (3) High-Risk Sexual Behavior, (4) High-Risk Drug Behavior, (5) Perceptions of Peer High-Risk Behavior, (6) Pros of Safer Sex, (7) Cons of Safer Sex, and (8) Self-Efficacy for Safer Sex. Three general conclusions were made: (1) the Transtheoretical Model can be applied to the area of HIV and adolescents to assess readiness to modify HIV risking behaviors, (2) as one moves through the Stages of Change for several HIV risk-related behaviors, a decrease in High-Risk Sexual Behaviors, High-Risk Drug Behaviors, and Peer High-Risk Behaviors can be observed, and (3) differences in General AIDS Knowledge, Knowledge of AIDS Transmission, the Pros/Cons of Safer Sex, and Self-Efficacy for Safer Sex appear to be constant across the stages of change for HIV risk-related behaviors for this sample of adolescents. Results should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size (n = 52).

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.