Dispositional optimism as a protective factor in resisting HIV exposure in sexually active inner-city minority adolescents

Scott C. Carvajal, Randall L. Garner, Richard I. Evans

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent investigations have explored dispositional optimism as a determinant of various health-related behaviors, though such research has been infrequently conducted in populations where pessimism would be expected to be prevalent. The present study famines optimism and unsafe sexual behavior in 230 sexually active inner-city minority adolescents. Findings suggest that dispositional optimism is a protective factor regarding adolescents' intentions to avoid engaging in unsafe sex. Further, the benefits of optimism appear to be explained by those who are more optimistic having higher levels of perceived condom use self-efficacy and stronger negative expectancies toward unsafe sex. Future interventions may need to address optimism in concert with behavioral-specific determinants to increase the probability of reducing unsafe sexual behavior in high-risk populations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2196-2211
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Applied Social Psychology
Volume28
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology

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