The impact of prevalence information regarding safe sex

Transcription

1 The impact of prevalence information regarding safe sex Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden

2 CIP-GEGEVENS KONINKLIJKE BIBLIOTHEEK, DEN HAAG Van den Eijnden, Regina J.J.M. The impact of prevalence information regarding safe sex/ Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden. Thesis Groningen. With ref. - With summary in Dutch. ISBN X Subject headings: AIDS prevention; false consensus; prevalence information. 1998, Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden Vormgeving: Roos Digitale Producties, Vught. Druk: Schoth Grafische Producties, Boxmeer Dit onderzoek werd mogelijk gemaakt door een subsidie van het ministerie van VWS (nr ) en een subsidie van het Praeventiefonds (nr ).

3 RIJKSUNIVERSITEIT GRONINGEN The impact of prevalence information regarding safe sex Proefschrift ter verkrijging van het doctoraat in de Psychologische, Pedagogische en Sociologische Wetenschappen aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen op gezag van de Rector Magnificus dr. F. van der Woude, in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 15 oktober 1998 des namiddags te 2.45 uur door Regina Josephina Johanna Maria van den Eijnden geboren op 15 april 1963 te Gemert

4 Promotor: Prof. dr. A.P. Buunk

5 Voor mijn vader

6 Acknowledgement This dissertation can be presented because of the help and support of many people. First of all, I want to thank my promotor Bram Buunk. Without his proding encouragement I probably would still be in the process of writing this dissertation. I want to thank him for all the detailed feedback he always provided within a few days, and for teaching me how to write up research findings. Bram certainly also contributed to making my stay in Groningen a pleasant one. Among my colleagues of the Social Psychology department, I especially wish to thank Frans Siero. I often consulted with him about all aspects of my research, especially statistical and methodological matters. I very much appreciated his concerns. I want to thank Arnold Bakker for his contribution to two of the studies reported in this dissertation. I am also grateful to the students who have been taking part in my research: Danny de Vries, Cecile Oosting, Jetske Bennekers en Derk Bothe. Of course, I want to thank my fellow Ph.D. students, and my roommate Mieke Schuurman in particular, for providing me with another good reason to come to Groningen on a weekly basis. Among my colleagues at the National Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NIGZ), I want to thank Jolanda Keijsers en Theo Paulussen for giving me the opportunity to finish this dissertation despite their occasional worries regarding the progress of my research project at the NIGZ. Furthermore, I would like to mention some of my friends who contributed to this dissertation. Helen Brouwers, Mieke Geerling, Hanneke Verhoeven, Hedwig van Krey, Sarynina Nieuweboer, and Clemens Verhoeven I wish to thank

7 for their helpful comments or organizational support. Special thanks I owe to Erwin van Krey who designed this booklet, and to Gerald Megens who printed it. I am particularly grateful to my friend and colleague Willem Bosveld. He has critically followed my work, and reassured me years ago that my endeavour would have a happy ending. Finally I wish to thank my partner Steven Verhoeven. For several years his life has been strongly affected by the process of writing this dissertation, not in the least because of the part-time relationship we had while I worked in Groningen. I want to thank him for his endurance, support and loyalty. I could not have wished for better. Regina van den Eijnden s-hertogenbosch, september 1998

8 Contents Chapter 1 General Introduction Overview of the literature Outline of the dissertation Chapter 2 Gender Differences in the Perceived Prevalence of One s Own Undesirable Sexual Behaviors Study Method Results Discussion and Introduction Study Method Results Discussion and Introduction Study Method Results and Discussion Study Method Results and Discussion General Discussion

9 Chapter 3 The Impact of Information Indicating a High Prevalence of Safe Sex on Condom Use Intention Study Method Results Discussion and Introduction Study Method Results General Discussion Chapter 4 The Impact of Information about the Prevalence of AIDS-Preventive Behavior among Men and Women: The Mediating Role of Social Norms Study Method Results Discussion Chapter 5 The Double Edged Sword of Providing Information about the Prevalence of Safe Sex Study Method Results Discussion

10 Chapter 6 General Discussion Summary of the present findings The perceived prevalence of extradyadic and unsafe sexual behavior The impact of prevalence information Mediating processes Limitations of the research Concluding remarks Practical implications and future research Samenvatting References Appendix