Sexual Self-Esteem as a Predictor of Risky Sexual Behaviour among Female Students Attending Teacher Training Colleges in Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to investigate sexual self-esteem as an indicator of risky sexual behaviour among female students attending teacher training colleges in Kenya. The study focused on second-year female students in the 29 public teacher training colleges in Kenya. Using ex post facto research design, data was collected through a personally delivered questionnaire from 350 female students in 13 public teachers’ training colleges in Kenya and subsequently analysed using simple regression statistic at 0.05 alpha level. The findings revealed a linear and significant relationship (F= 7.894; 1,345; P< .05) between sexual self-esteem and risky sexual behaviour. The study further revealed that the beta value (? = .150) was statistically (t = 2.810; P <.05), the findings implied that sexual self-esteem had a positive effect on risky sexual behaviour, and the impact was statistically significant. The adjusted R2 value (R2 = 0.22) further revealed that Sexual self-esteem could account for 22% of the variation in risky sexual behaviour among female students. These findings have important implications and lessons in regard to reducing incidences of risky sexual behaviour among female teacher trainees, specifically, stakeholders in teacher training colleges including, college administrators, counsellors, and sexual health practitioners, within the colleges. These should develop and adopt strategies suggested in this study to address the challenge of sexual risk-taking among female teacher trainees.