Inclusion of a Parental Component in a Sports-Based HIV Prevention Program for Dominican Youth

Chrys Gesualdo (), Helle Larsen and Pilar Garcia
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Chrys Gesualdo: Department of Developmental Psychology, Philipps University, 35032 Marburg, Germany
Helle Larsen: Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WS Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Pilar Garcia: Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Underprivileged youth in the Dominican Republic (DR) are at high risk of acquiring the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Protective parenting practices may inhibit sexual risk-taking. Objective: We investigated whether parental involvement in a sports-based HIV prevention program increased self-efficacy to prevent HIV and safe sex behavior among Dominican youth. Method: The study had a quasi-experimental design with repeated measures. N = 90 participants between 13 and 24 years of age participated in the program through two different trainings, UNICA and A Ganar, both of which had an experimental (i.e., program with parental component) and a control (i.e., program without parental component) condition. Results: Self-efficacy to prevent HIV significantly increased among participants in the experimental condition of UNICA. Self-efficacy for safe sex increased among sexually active participants in the experimental condition of A Ganar. Implications for Impact: These findings are important to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of good health and wellbeing, as they suggest that parental involvement in sports-based HIV prevention programs can enhance their positive effects for increasing youth’s self-efficacy to practice HIV-preventive behaviors. Randomized control trials and longitudinal studies are needed.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; health; parenting; adolescent sexual behavior; self-efficacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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