Research on promoting safe-sex behaviors among adolescents has suggested which of the following?

• A. Interventions that focus on enhancing self-efficacy and communication skills are more effective than those that only provide information.
• B. Punitive approaches, such as fear-based messaging, consistently lead to long-term behavior change.
• C. Adolescents are not influenced by peer norms when making decisions about safe-sex practices.
• D. Providing information alone is sufficient to change adolescent sexual behaviors.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the key psychological concepts involved in promoting safe-sex behaviors, such as self-efficacy, communication skills, peer influence, and the impact of information versus emotional appeals.
2. Recognize that self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform a specific behavior successfully, which is crucial for adopting and maintaining safe-sex practices.
3. Consider research findings that show interventions enhancing self-efficacy and communication skills empower adolescents to negotiate and practice safe sex more effectively than simply providing information.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of punitive or fear-based approaches, noting that while they may create immediate awareness, they often do not lead to sustained behavior change according to psychological studies.
5. Acknowledge the role of peer norms in adolescent decision-making, as peers significantly influence behaviors, including sexual practices, which contradicts the idea that adolescents are not influenced by peer norms.