PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR THROUGH A COLLEGE FRESHMAN SEMINAR

A sexual health curriculum has been incorporated into our university's freshman seminar. The effectiveness of this program in changing sexua lity-related knowledge, attitude, and behavior in college freshmen was studied. Seven hundred eighty-six freshmen students enrolled in 37 ra ndomly selected English classes were surveyed at baseline and at 3 mon ths. Survey outcome measurements included: knowledge regarding sexuall y transmitted diseases (STDs), attitudes about sexual behavior, and be haviors including the frequency of barrier contraceptive use, abstinen ce, and the number of sexual partners. At postintervention, mean knowl edge, attitude, and behavior scores were significantly higher for thos e simultaneously enrolled in the freshman seminar than for those not e nrolled. Abstinence among males in the seminar increased. White males in the seminar were more likely to be abstinent or to use a condom tha n nonwhites. Females not participating in the intervention reported in creased frequency of ''never'' using condoms and decreased frequency o f condom use at last intercourse. Students participating in a sexual h ealth curriculum in a college freshman seminar report less frequent hi gh-risk sexual behaviors than students not participating in the semina r.