Applying Self-Determination Theory to Adolescent Sexual-Risk Behavior and Knowledge: A Structural Equation Model

BACKGROUND: National health priorities identify adolescent sexual-risk behavior outcomes as research and intervention targets for mental health. OBJECTIVE: Reduce sexual-risk behavioral outcomes by applying self-determination theory to focus on decision-making autonomy. This study examined late adolescents’ recollections of parental autonomy support/sexual-risk communication experiences and autonomy motivation as predictors of sexual-risk behaviors/knowledge. METHOD: A convenience sample (N = 249) of 19- and 20-year-old university students completed self-report questionnaires. Structural equation modeling with latent variables examined direct/indirect effects in the hypothesized model. RESULTS: Parents contributed uniquely through sexual-risk communication and/or autonomy support to late adolescents’ autonomous motivation. The final model evidenced acceptable fit and explained 12% of the variation in adolescent sexual-risk behavior, 7% in adolescent autonomous motivation, and 2% in adolescent sexual-risk knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric mental health nurses should conduct further research and design interventions promoting parent autonomy support and adolescent autonomous motivation to reduce sexual risk-behavior and increase sexual-risk knowledge.