Development and validation of a condom self-efficacy scale for college students

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Sexual Health Education

Background:

• College students face unique challenges regarding safe sex practices.
• Assessing self-efficacy in condom use is crucial for developing effective sexual health interventions.
• Existing measures may not fully capture the nuances of condom use confidence in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a comprehensive scale measuring self-efficacy in condom use among college students.
• To create a reliable and valid instrument for assessing confidence in condom acquisition, application, and negotiation.
• To provide a tool for researchers and health professionals to evaluate and improve condom use behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Condom Use Self-Efficacy Scale (CUSES) with 28 items based on existing literature.
• Administration of the CUSES to a diverse sample of 768 college students.
• Statistical analysis including reliability (Cronbach's alpha, test-retest) and validity (correlations with related scales, discriminant validity) assessments.

Main Results:

• The CUSES demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .91) and good test-retest reliability (r = .81).
• The scale showed significant correlations with attitudes toward condoms (r = .51), contraceptive self-efficacy (r = .55), and intention to use condoms (r = .40).
• The CUSES exhibited discriminant validity, differentiating between students based on prior condom use and sexual experience, and was not influenced by social desirability.

Conclusions:

• The Condom Use Self-Efficacy Scale (CUSES) is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring condom use self-efficacy in college populations.
• The CUSES can be a valuable tool for assessing barriers and facilitating interventions to promote consistent and correct condom use.
• Understanding and addressing condom use self-efficacy is vital for improving sexual health outcomes among young adults.