Maybe I Should Have Asked: Sexual Scripting And Std Avoidance.

Given the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and high rate of exposure for sexually active college students, informed choice in selection of partners requires willingness to ask about past sexual history prior to intercourse. Using a questionnaire survey, this study of 501 college students, 66% of whom had already engaged in intercourse, examined beliefs and behaviors with respect to sexual history-taking. The importance of social psychological theories for understanding observed belief-behavior discrepancies is highlighted and implications for safer-sex education are considered. Respondents were substantially more likely to believe that asking questions about sexual history is appropriate and might alter their willingness to have sex with a particular partner than to actually ask. Perceived lack of social support and incompatible elements of sexual scripting inhibited intended action; partner's behavior was also influential in defining the situation, encouraging reciprocal disclosure or non-disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]