Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Abraham, C.
Right arrow Articles by Sheeran, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Abraham, C.
Right arrow Articles by Sheeran, P.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Health Education Research, Vol. 8, No. 2, 245-254, 1993
© 1993 Oxford University Press

research-article

In search of a psychology of safer-sex promotion; beyond beliefs and texts

Charles Abraham and Paschal Sheeran1

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School Dundee DD1 9SY
1Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2UR, UK

Belief and attitudinal change are important to the promotion of safer sexual behaviour. However, the individual decision-making psychology implicit in belief—change models provides only a partial picture of the determinants of sexual behaviour. A broader psychological understanding emphasizing the complex social skills involved in regulating sexual interaction is advocated. A discourse analysis critique of the viability of characterizing individuals' psychology on the basis of verbal responses is discussed and it is noted that psychological models linking such responses to underlying beliefs and cognitions must be based on measures which accurately predict health behaviour. It is concluded that an interactive model incorporating personal, interpersonal and situational constraints on sexual behaviour could be used to design effective programmes addressing barriers to HTV protection. Such interventions would promote communication and sexual negotiating skills and could be included in school curricula. This would have radical implications for sex education, shifting its theoretical basis from biology to social psychology and its methods from information-giving to participation and practice.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Health Promot PractHome page
M. M. Dolcini, L. Canin, A. Gandelman, and H. Skolnik
Theoretical Domains: A Heuristic for Teaching Behavioral Theory in HIV/STD Prevention Courses
Health Promot Pract, October 1, 2004; 5(4): 404 - 417.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Health Educ ResHome page
D. Wight and C. Abraham
From psycho-social theory to sustainable classroom practice: developing a research-based teacher-delivered sex education programme
Health Educ. Res., February 1, 2000; 15(1): 25 - 38.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Pers Soc Psychol BullHome page
A. D. Bryan, L. S. Aiken, and S. G. West
The Impact of Males Proposing Condom Use on Perceptions of an Initial Sexual Encounter
Pers Soc Psychol Bull, March 1, 1999; 25(3): 275 - 286.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J Health PsycholHome page
A. Harden and C. Willig
An Exploration of the Discursive Constructions used in Young Adults' Memories and Accounts of Contraception
J Health Psychol, July 1, 1998; 3(3): 429 - 445.
[Abstract]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.