Effects of HIV/AIDS public service announcements on attitude and behavior: Interplay of perceived threat and self-efficacy

We examined how perceived threat affected attitude and behavior toward condom use with main and nonmain partners, among at-risk young adults with varying levels of self-efficacy. Participants were 170 heterosexually active, single students at a northeastern university in the United States. Exposure to HIV/AIDS public service announcements was found to increase perceived susceptibility, which facilitated a positive attitude toward condom use with main partners but not with nonmain partners. High self-efficacy promoted a positive attitude toward condom use with main partners, and condom use with main and nonmain partners. The interaction effects revealed that high, compared to low, self-efficacy motivated more condom use with main and nonmain partners when perceived susceptibility was lower.