The additional value of anticipated regret and psychopathology in explaining intended condom use among drug users

In this study we examine determinants of intended condom use with casual an d steady sex partners among drug users. Our aim was to find out whether ant icipated regret and psychopathology represent additional factors in explain ing condom use behaviour, on top of the constructs defined in traditional p sychosocial models of behaviour. A questionnaire measuring intentions, atti tude, beliefs, personal norm, subjective norm, descriptive norm, self-effic acy and anticipated regret toward condom use with steady and casual sex par tners, and the Symptom Checklist '90 (to measure dimensions of psychopathol ogy) were handed out to 150 Dutch drug users. The results showed that inten ded condom use with steady sex partners was mainly predicted by self-effica cy, personal norm and anticipated regret (total R-2 = 0.41). Lower feelings of hostility and a more positive personal norm, subjective norm and attitu de significantly predicted intended condom use with casual sex partners (to tal R-2 = 0.24). The results also showed that intended condom use with stea dy sex partners seems to result from anticipating possible barriers, wherea s condom use with casual sex partners is largely a matter of having safe se x norms. Practical implications of this study for Aids-preventive campaigns are also discussed.