Risky Sexual Behavior in American White College Women

The Role of Sex Guilt and Sexual Abuse

  • Wayment, Heidi A.
  • Aronson, Bethany
Journal of Health Psychology 7(6):p 723-733, November 2002. | DOI: 10.1177/1359105302007006876

Ninety-five sexually active White American female college students participated in a questionnaire study about their sexual behavior in the past 12 months. A path model was tested in order to assess specific hypothesized predictors of risky sexual behavior. As predicted, participants with greater sex guilt reported using condoms more and having had fewer sexual partners. The findings of this study suggest that White American female college students are at some degree of risk due to risky sexual behavior. Taking into account attitudes about sexuality and past sexual abuse along with the requisite training in condom use self-efficacy may enhance the success of interventions designed to reduce risky sexual behavior among White American female college students.

Copyright © 2002 Sage Publications
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