Self-efficacy, scripts of love and intention to use condoms among Norwegian adolescents

The knowledge of how self-efficacy works within sexual scripts is limited In the context of sexual script theory this paper aims at focusing on the relationship between contraceptive self-efficacy and the intention to Else condoms among Norwegian adolescents. The data is based on a stratified sample of 920 adolescents aged 16-20 years in a Norwegian county. Data were collected by means of questionnaires. Fifty-two percent of girls and 41.4% of the boys had had coital experience. Girls reported a somewhat higher contraceptive self-efficacy than boys did. This gender difference was mostly represented by the girls' belief in their capability to prevent undesired sexual intercourse, and their capability to use contraception in a situation where they were very sexually aroused There was a clear connection between the adolescents' actual Else of condoms at the most recent occasion of sexual intercourse and their intention to do so the next rime. Boys who were in love with their partner were more likely to perceive themselves as capable of communicating with their partner about contraception in the sexual context which in trim increased their intention of using condoms the next time. This may reflect boys acting in accordance with their sexual script. The girls' intention to use condoms the next time was not influenced by their contraceptive self-efficacy to the same degree as the boy's intention was. Acting within their sexual script and using oral contraceptives had greater influence on the girl's contraceptive self-efficacy than using a condom did This study points to the importance of anchoring health preventive messages in the social and sexual realities of adolescents by focusing on the positive sides of sexuality.