Psychosocial correlates of safe sex self-efficacy among in-school adolescent girls in Lagos, Nigeria

Adolescent girls in Nigeria are at heightened risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. However, there are limited studies on psychosocial factors that are associated with safe sex intentions among this population. Self-efficacy has been established as an important correlate of behavioral intentions and the actual behavior. The objective of this research was to examine how key psychosocial factors such as social support, parental monitoring, and future orientation influence perceived safe sex self-efficacy among in-school adolescent girls in Nigeria. Furthermore, we assessed the associations between these psychosocial factors and HIV-related knowledge and safe sex self-efficacy. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 426 adolescent girls attending public and private school systems in Lagos, Nigeria. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the influence of psychosocial and demographic factors on safe sex self-efficacy. Further, stratified analysis was conducted to compare the estimates between participants attending public schools (n = 272) and those attending private schools (n = 154). Results from the study show that future orientation (β = 0.17; p < 0.05), participants age (β = 0.14; p < 0.05), and HIV knowledge accuracy (β = 0.17; p < 0.05) were associated with safe sex self-efficacy. Future orientation remained statistically significant in the sub-group analysis among participants attending public (β = 0.13; p < 0.05) and private schools (β = 0.24; p < 0.05). Among participants attending public schools, HIV accuracy (β = 0.2; p < 0.05) remained a significant correlate of safe sex self-efficacy while this association dissipated among private school attendees. These findings point to the importance of including future orientation strategies in interventions developed for in-school adolescent girls in Nigeria. School-based interventions that increase positive future orientation outcomes may be beneficial to improve safe sex intentions among adolescent girls in Nigeria.