Spiritual well-being, depressive symptoms and HIV preventive self-efficacy as predictors of sexual risk behaviors among college students

Abstract

Understanding the psychosocial factors that are associated with young people's sexual risk behaviors is essential for designing targeted and effective HIV prevention programs. College students are particularly vulnerable to engaging in sexual risk behaviors. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to gain insights into whether spiritual well-being, depressive symptoms, and HIV preventive self-efficacy play a predictive role in college students' sexual risk behaviors. A convenience sample of 437 college students who were ages 18 to 24 years and enrolled in undergraduate programs at a public university in the United States were recruited, and several self-administered, reliable, and valid questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistical analyses, t-test, correlation coefficient analyses, and hierarchical regression were utilized to analyze data. Results indicated higher spiritual well-being was significantly related to higher HIV preventive self-efficacy (r = 0.190, p < .001) and less depressive symptoms (r = −0.618, p < .001). Furthermore, spiritual well-being, HIV preventive self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms together significantly predicted 29.5 % of college students' sexual risk behaviors. This study suggests that spiritual well-being and mental health may play significant roles in HIV prevention. Nurses and healthcare providers may need to consider the influences of mental health and spiritual well-being when designing HIV prevention interventions aimed at boosting self-efficacy and reducing sexual risk behaviors among college students.