Effective AIDS education: Is candid discussion the answer?

Abstract

The efficacy of many AIDS education programs has come into question. These programs are often moralistic and vague. The present study compared an explicit, interactive AIDS education approach with a nonexplicit, non-interactive approach. The topics included people with AIDS, communication and sexual behavior with a partner, and condom use. Attitude changes and cognitive responses were used to measure the effectiveness of the various approaches. Presenting explicit sexually-oriented material was found to be more effective than nonexplicit material. However, students were more receptive to sexually-oriented material on videotape than within an interaction group. Only students who initially held unfavorable attitudes toward people with AIDS were positively affected by the treatments on this dimension. It was concluded that AIDS education should be presented in an explicit, yet sensitive, manner that provides the necessary skills to implement appropriate preventive behaviors. Utilizing principles of persuasion and health belief models to meet this end is discussed.