HIV Risk Reduction Behaviors in Adolescent Females: The Influence of Mastery and Self-Esteem

Abstract

AIDS is a leading cause of death in adolescent and young adult populations. Heterosexual transmission of HIV is the fastest growing mode of infection among women, and minority populations are affected disproportionately. It is important to identify and assess psychological determinants of HIV risk reduction behaviors, in order that health care interventions may be tailored to maximize a client's preventive efforts. Hence, the concepts of mastery and self-esteem were investigated in relationship to HIV risk reduction behaviors in a culturally diverse group of adolescent females. Mastery is a global sense of control over one's life, and self-esteem is the value placed on oneself. HIV risk reduction behaviors were conceptualized as the actions taken by an individual to diminish the chance of acquiring heterosexually transmitted HIV. The objective of the study was to test the moderator effect of mastery on the relationship between self-esteem and HIV risk reduction behaviors. A purposive sample of 224 black, Latina and white adolescent females was recruited from an urban primary care setting in a tertiary care center. A cross-sectional, correlational design was utilized, and measures included the Pearlin Mastery Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Metzger High Risk Sexual Relationships Subscale of the Adolescent Problem Severity Index. Using hierarchical multiple regression, no moderator effect of mastery on self-esteem and HIV risk reduction behaviors was found. Mastery and self-esteem did not predict HIV risk reduction behaviors in the total sample or in the cultural subgroups. Age was inversely related to HIV risk reduction behaviors in the total sample and in the black group of participants; household income was positively associated with HIV risk reduction behaviors in only the black group. Age and number of hours worked were inversely related to HIV risk reduction behaviors in white adolescent females who worked. Despite non-significant moderation relationships, there is enhanced understanding of what did not provide explanatory value relative to HIV risk reduction behaviors. Further study is needed to determine significant predictors of HIV risk reduction in these cultural groups.