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Perceptions of first-year students regarding engaging in sexual behaviours at a university campus

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The university environment provides many opportunities to be sexually active. University
students are reported as tending to engage in high-risk behaviours related to sex, alcohol and
drugs. First-year university students are reported to be most vulnerable, as they lack
experience to make good and risk-aware decisions when it comes to sexual liaisons.
Available initiatives aimed at improving sexual behaviours of students are reported as being
implemented simply because they work well somewhere else, without prior assessment of the
needs/characteristics of the target population. This can negatively affect their effectiveness.
The following question motivated the study: What factors influence sexual behaviours of
first-year students on a university campus? This study sought to describe the perceptions of
first-year students about engaging in sexual behaviours at a university campus. To answer the
research question, theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was applied as the framework of the
study.
The study was descriptive in nature. Data were collected by means of a self-administered
questionnaire from a conveniently selected sample of 240 first-year university students from
one campus in the Eastern Cape. The measuring instruments were constructed from the
constructs of the TBP, namely attitudes (ATT), perceived social norms (PSN), perceived
behavioural control (PBC), and behavioural intentions (BI). The SPSS was used to analyse
data for frequencies of responses and multiple regression. Most participants reported being sexually active (85.3%) and the lack of provision of
information on sexual issues from adults (parents (23.3%) and church authorities (10.8%)
was apparent. Perceived social norms were the most prominent factor that showed to be
predictive of sexual behaviours with three significant predictor variables, namely partner age
difference (beta = .059, ρ< .040), number of sexual partners in 3 months (beta = .238, ρ<
.008) and condom use (beta = .095, ρ< .014). Behavioural intentions also showed some
prediction, to a lesser extent, with one predictor variable, namely age at first willing
intercourse (beta = .86, ρ< .001). The results from this study suggested that targeting social
norms in intervention efforts aimed at improving sexual behaviours of first-year university
students in the target population could be beneficial. More studies to explore available social
norms in this target group and intervention to change negative norms are recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die universiteitsomgewing bied studente meer geleenthede om seksueel aktief te wees.
Daarbenewens is universiteitstudente na bewering geneig om hoërisikogedrag met betrekking
tot seks, alkohol en dwelmmiddels te openbaar. Eerstejaarstudente word as die kwesbaarste
beskou, aangesien hulle die ervaring kortkom om goeie, risikobewuste besluite oor seksuele
verhoudings te neem. Tog word die beskikbare inisiatiewe vir die verbetering van seksuele
gedrag onder studente blykbaar slegs in werking gestel omdat dit elders goed werk, sonder
om eers die behoeftes/kenmerke van die teikenpopulasie te bepaal. Dít kan die
doeltreffendheid van dié inisiatiewe benadeel.
Die vraag wat as beweegrede vir hierdie studie gedien het, was: Watter faktore beïnvloed die
seksuele gedrag van eerstejaars op ’n universiteitskampus? Die navorsing wou dus ondersoek
instel na eerstejaars se opvattings oor seksuele gedrag en seksuele verhoudings op ’n
universiteitskampus. Om hierdie navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, is ’n teorie van beplande
gedrag (TPB) as studieraamwerk gebruik.
Die studie was beskrywend van aard. Data is met behulp van ’n vraelys van ’n gerieflik
gekose steekproef van 240 eerstejaar-universiteitstudente op ’n enkele kampus in die Oos-
Kaap ingesamel. Die deelnemers het self die vraelys ingevul. Die meetinstrumente is
saamgestel uit die verskillende konstrukte van die TPB, naamlik houdings (ATT),
waargenome sosiale norme (PSN), waargenome gedragsbeheer (PBC) en gedragvoornemens
(BI). SPSS-sagteware is gebruik om die data vir die frekwensie van response en meervoudige
regressie te ontleed. Die meeste deelnemers het aangedui dat hulle seksueel aktief is (85,3%), en die gebrek aan
inligting oor seksuele kwessies vanaf volwassenes (ouers 23,3%) en die kerk (10,8%) blyk
duidelik. Waargenome sosiale norme het as die sterkste voorspeller van seksuele gedrag na
vore getree, met drie beduidende voorspellerveranderlikes, naamlik ouderdomsverskil met
bedmaats (Beta = .059, p< .040), aantal bedmaats in drie maande (Beta = .238, p< .008) en
kondoomgebruik (Beta = .095, p< .014). Gedragvoornemens het ook ’n mindere mate van
voorspellingsvermoë getoon, met een voorspellerveranderlike, naamlik ouderdom met eerste
gewillige seksuele omgang (Beta = .86, p< .001). Die resultate van hierdie studie dui daarop dat intervensiepogings om seksuele gedrag onder
eerstejaar-universiteitstudente te verbeter, by ’n klem op sosiale norme kan baat vind.
Verdere studies oor die bestaande sosiale norme van hierdie teikengroep, sowel as intervensie
om negatiewe norme te verander, word aanbeveel.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/80301
Date03 1900
CreatorsQinisile, Nomawethu Patricia
ContributorsSeekoe, Eunice, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format124 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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