Belief in a just world, generalised self-efficacy and stigma may contribute to unsafe sexual intentions via a reduced perception of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS amongst young people in Ghana

Abstract

Complacency about one's HIV risk status may reduce the intention to practise safe sex. It was hypothesised that belief in a just world and stigmatising attitudes may contribute to complacency and thereby have a negative impact on safe sex intention. A sample of 238 young people in Ghana, ranging in age from 14 to 22, completed the Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale and the Belief in a Just World Scales for Self and Other, together with self-report measures of stigmatising attitudes, perceived vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and intentions to practise safe sex. Mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that stigma and just world beliefs may have a negative impact on safe sex intention that is mediated by a reduced perception of vulnerability. It was also found that generalised self-efficacy beliefs had a similar mediated impact. Each of the three factors had a mediated impact that was relatively independent of the other two factors. In addition, stigma had a negative direct (unmediated) effect on safe sex intention (i.e., more stigma was associated with reduced safe sex intention); but generalised self-efficacy beliefs had a positive direct effect (i.e., greater belief was associated with increased safe sex intention). The study replicates some previous research about stigma, and provides new evidence about the role of just world and generalised self-efficacy beliefs. Implications for public health programmes are discussed.