Modelos Explicativos del Uso del Condón en las Relaciones Sexuales de Adolescentes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to systematically investigate the attitudinal and interpersonal factors that influence condom use in coital sex between high school students and to develop structural models that show the interrelationships and the direct and indirect effects of these factors on frequency of condom use. Participants were 527 adolescents who reported having consensual sex at least once in life. For this matter a questionnaire measuring frequency of sex and condom use during sexual encounters was used, also 80 ordinal questions divided into five factors: 1) sexual assertiveness, 2) sexual submission, 3) low sexual risk perception, 4) infatuation and 5) acceptance of condom use. Using structural equations trajectories and frequency of condom use were drawn. Structural models for men and women show acceptable levels of fitness to the data as well as significant direct effects between all the variables, specifically direct effect of variables acceptance on condom use and sexual assertiveness on the frequency of preservative use. These results extend the possibilities of explanation and psychosocial intervention on sexual risk behavior among adolescents.