Increasing condom use by undermining perceived invulnerability to HIV

An intervention to increase condom use by undermining perceptions of invulnerability to HIV was tested in a sample of 128 college students. Participants were randomly assigned to the invulnerability undermined (IU) condition or a demand characteristic control (DCC) condition. The IU condition used tasks that highlighted past failures to protect oneself and the failure of illusory protection strategies. Participants in the DCC condition watched a video on protecting oneself from HIV. Participants in the IU condition, relative to those in the DCC group, had lower perceptions of invulnerability to HIV and higher intentions to use condoms on the immediate postintervention measures; they reported more condom use at the 3-month follow-up. Contrary to prediction, perceptions of invulnerability did not mediate the effects of the intervention on condom use intentions or condom use. The advantage of indirect methods of reducing denial of vulnerability is discussed.