Increasing Responsible Sexual Behavior Among High Risk African-American Adolescent Males:

Abstract

Twenty-one delinquent African-American males (ages 15 through 18) participated in a brief Male Responsibility Training Program designed to provide content and material addressing perceptions of self-control, self-esteem, knowledge and attitudes about responsible sexual behavior, and perceptions toward the use of condoms. Youth completed pre and posttest measures on locus of control, self-esteem, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward responsible sexual behavior, and attitudes and emotional reactions toward the use of condoms. While neither youths' locus of control, knowledge and behaviors toward responsible sexual behavior nor emotional reactions toward condoms showed significant change, youths' self-esteem scores, disclosure of sexual activity and attitudes toward condom use improved significantly. The results suggest that a short training in male sexual responsibility can have an impact on youths' feelings about themselves and condom use, beginning the process of enduring behavioral change.