YOUNG WOMENS SEXUAL RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR - RE-VISITING THE INFLUENCESOF SEXUAL SELF-EFFICACY AND SEXUAL SELF-ESTEEM

This study investigates the influences on young women's sexual risk ta king of (a) attitudes such as sexual self-efficacy and sexual self-est eem and Cb) personal and sexual characteristics, such as age, the age of first sexual experience, the number of sexual partners and reported overall amount of sex. Three hundred and thirty-one young women parti cipated in this study. With respect to regular sexual relationships, t he results show that risk taking behaviour is directly and positively associated with sexual self-esteem. The effect of sexual self-efficacy on risk taking in regular relationships, however, is indirect and pos itive, being mediated by the overall amount of sexual activity. In con trast, with respect to casual sexual relationships, risk taking behavi our is negatively associated with self-esteem and positively associate d with sexual self-efficacy. In addition, sexual self-esteem influence s casual risk taking indirectly and positively, the effect being media ted by the overall amount of sexual activity. The findings in relation to sexual self-esteem and sexual self-efficacy are contrary to the ex pectations that these variables would be negatively associated with se xual risk taking behaviours. The implications for safe sex education a re discussed.