SELF-PERCEPTION VARIABLES THAT MEDIATE AIDS-PREVENTIVE BEHAVIOR IN COLLEGE-STUDENTS

Three psychological variables-self-efficacy, control and meaning, and perceived risk-were tested in a structural model predicting AIDS-preve ntive behavior. Results revealed a good model fit, indicating that the se psychological variables did play a role in mediating AIDS-preventiv e behavior in college students. A multivariate analysis of variance an d individual analyses of variance conducted for men and women also rev ealed gender differences on individual items of self-efficacy, perceiv ed risk, and AIDS-preventive behavior. This study underscores the impo rtance of identifying and assessing the psychological determinants of AIDS-preventive behavior.