The UCLA multidimensional condom attitudes scale: Validity in a sample of low-acculturated Hispanic women

Condom use can prevent unintended pregnancy, HN infection, and other sexual ly transmitted diseases. Unfortunately, scales assessing attitudes toward c ondom use have not been validated in Hispanic samples. Low-acculturated His panic women (N = 291) completed the University of California, Las Angeles ( UCLA) Multidimensional Condom Attitudes Scale (MCAS). The MCAS contains fiv e subscales: Reliability and Effectiveness, Pleasure, Identity Stigma Embar rassment About Negotiation and Use, and Embarrassment About Purchase. Confi rmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the factor loadings of the que stionnaire items on the five factors. The model fit and factor structure we re similar to results originally obtained with a college student sample. Hi gher education was associated with higher scores on Pleasure and lower scor es on Identity Stigma, whereas financial strain was associated with higher scores an Embarrassment About Negotiation and Use and Embarrassment About P urchase. Results suggest that the MCAS can be used to assess condom attitud es among low-acculturated Hispanic women.