Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latina Women

Abstract

The Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females scale, developed by the Centre for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), is a comprehensive survey instrument designed to assess factors influencing HIV risk and sexual health behaviors within the U.S. Latino population. The primary objective is to evaluate the risk of HIV transmission resulting from various sexual behaviors and to identify key psychological and social predictors of these behaviors. The tool explores variables such as self-efficacy to use condoms, sexual coercion experiences, sexual comfort levels, homophobia, and adherence to traditional gender role beliefs. Data collection utilized a robust random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey methodology, engaging a large and representative sample of the continental U.S. Latino population.

Keywords

Sexual Health, HIV Prevention, Latino Population, Condom Use, Self-efficacy, Gender Roles, Sexual Behavior, Risk Assessment

Authors

Centre for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS)

Purpose

The principal purpose of the Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females survey is twofold: first, to quantify the prevalence and nature of sexual behaviors that elevate the risk of HIV transmission among unmarried Latino adults; and second, to delineate the psychological and sociocultural variables that predict these behaviors.

A critical focus of the instrument is the detailed assessment of factors that specifically influence the consistent and effective use of condoms. By identifying barriers and facilitators related to self-efficacy in negotiating safer sex practices, the scale provides essential data for developing culturally competent and targeted HIV prevention interventions within the Latino community.

Construct

The scale measures a complex set of constructs related to sexual behavior and attitudes, framed within a public health context focused on HIV prevention. The instrument captures data on several key psychological predictors and social determinants of health, including:

• Self-Efficacy to Use Condoms: The individual’s belief in their ability to successfully initiate, negotiate, and maintain condom use, particularly in challenging relational or situational contexts.

• Traditional Gender Role Beliefs: Attitudes concerning expected roles and behaviors for men and women, which often influence sexual power dynamics and negotiation capabilities.

• Sexual Coercion: Experiences or perpetration of unwanted sexual acts or pressure, a critical risk factor for unsafe sexual practices.

• Homophobia and Sexual Comfort: Attitudes toward homosexuality and overall comfort levels discussing or engaging in sexual activity, which can impact disclosure and risk reduction strategies.

• Sexual Behavior: Detailed measures of sexual practices, number of partners, and frequency of unprotected sex.

Validity

Specific details regarding the construct and criterion validity of the complete Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females scale are primarily addressed within the key academic literature published by the researchers at CAPS. The underlying validity of the sub-scales, particularly those related to self-efficacy and gender roles, is supported by their demonstrated ability to significantly predict observed sexual risk behaviors within the study population.

Researchers ensured content validity by developing items based on established behavioral theories relevant to HIV risk reduction and tailored specifically to cultural issues prevalent in the U.S. Latino community. For a comprehensive review of the psychometric validation process, readers are directed to the 1998 article by Marín et al., which provides empirical evidence supporting the measurement integrity of the instrument.

Reliability

As this instrument is a multi-component survey rather than a singular scale, reliability estimates (such as internal consistency measures like Cronbach’s Alpha) vary across its distinct sub-constructs (e.g., self-efficacy, homophobia, gender roles). The authors conducted rigorous psychometrics testing during the development phase to ensure that each component scale yields consistent and stable results across the diverse sample.

The seminal publication detailing the instrument’s development confirms that the key derived scales, particularly those focused on condom self-efficacy, achieved acceptable reliability coefficients suitable for use in public health research settings. Full reliability data are available in the cited reference materials.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females instrument was established using factor analytic techniques to ensure that the individual items grouped logically into the intended theoretical constructs (e.g., sexual coercion, traditionalism). While the source content does not provide specific factor loading matrices, the development of distinct sub-scales such as “Self-efficacy to use condoms” implies that exploratory and/or confirmatory factor analysis was employed to establish the dimensional structure of the measured constructs.

This empirical process was crucial for isolating variables that function independently as predictors of sexual risk behavior, allowing researchers to accurately model the complex interplay between cultural attitudes and preventative actions against HIV.

Instrument

Test Type: Psychosocial Risk Assessment Survey / Epidemiological Questionnaire

Format: Structured Questionnaire administered via telephone survey (Random Digit Dialing)

Language Available: Likely English and Spanish (standard for surveys targeting the U.S. Latino population, though not explicitly confirmed in the source)

Population Group: Unmarried Latino Adults (women and men)

Age Group: Adult (Specific age range not provided, but inferred to be sexually active adults)

Population Details: The study sampled 1500 Latinos across ten U.S. states, representing approximately 90% of the continental U.S. Latino population, ensuring broad geographical and cultural representation.

Test Methodology: Data was collected using a Random Digit Dial (RDD) telephone survey method, designed to achieve a representative sample of the target population.

Keywords

Health, Relationships, Risk, Condom Use, Psychometrics, Sexual Coercion, HIV/AIDS, Public Health

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: The primary affiliated institution is the Centre for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Correspondence Address: Correspondence should be directed to the primary authors listed in the key references (e.g., B.V. Marín) at their affiliated institutions.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: The tool was developed by the Centre for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) and is referenced as “CAPS Survey Instrument 2.” Researchers seeking to use the full instrument should contact CAPS directly for current usage permissions and licensing requirements.

Fee: Fee information is not provided in the source material.

Test Year: The primary data collection and psychometric validation were conducted leading up to the key publication date of 1998.

The original PDF detailing the scale entry can be downloaded here: Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females

Reference’s

The psychometric properties and findings derived from this instrument are detailed in the following key publications:

• Marín BV, Tschann J, Gómez C, Gregorich SE (1998). Self-efficacy to use condoms in unmarried Latino adults. American Journal of Community Psychology. 26(1), 53–71.

• Marín B.V., Gomez, C. (1999). Latinos and HIV: Cultural Issues in AIDS. In: Cohen PT, Sande MA, Volberding PA, eds. The AIDS knowledge base. Third Edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, (Chapter 8; pp 917-924).

• Marin, BV. (1997). Cultural Issues in HIV Prevention for Latinos: Should we be changing gender roles. In Oskamp, S. & Thompson, S. (Eds.) Safer Sex in the 90s: Understanding and Preventing HIV Risk Behavior.

Items of the Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The specific items comprising the Sexual Attitudes and Behavior of Unmarried Latino Females scale are not provided in the source material. Researchers must consult the referenced academic publications or contact the Centre for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) for the complete survey instrument (CAPS Survey Instrument 2).