The Effects of Contraception Knowledge and Contraception Self-Efficacy on Reproductive Health Promotion Behavior in High School Male Students

Purpose: This descriptive study aimed to investigate the association among contraceptive knowledge, contraceptive self-efficacy, and reproductive health promotion behaviors in male high school students who are currently in the stage of being sexually impulsive and vulnerable to sexual problems. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using self-reported questionnaires. These questionnaires were administered to 419 male student of J high school in D city. Collected data were analyzed via t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0. Results: The scores of contraceptive knowledge, contraceptive self-efficacy, and reproductive health promotion behaviors were 5.37±3.08, 41.22±6.52, and 54.95±7.06, respectively. Contraceptive self-efficacy exhibited a positive correlation with reproductive health promotion behaviors (r=.33, p<.001) and contraceptive knowledge (r=.29, p<.001). Contrarily, contraceptive knowledge was not correlated with reproductive health promotion behaviors (r=.49, p=.190). Contraceptive self-efficacy explained 33.5% of the variance in reproductive health promotion behaviors (F=26.07, p<.001). Conclusion: The factor influencing reproductive health promotion behaviors was contraceptive self-efficacy. To improve these behaviors in male high school students, educational programs should be established.