http://repub.eur.nl/res/aut/10959/ List of Publications en http://repub.eur.nl/static-eur/img/logo.png http://repub.eur.nl http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/39337/ 2013-05-01T00:00:00Z Objectives Having condoms available has been shown to be an important predictor of condom use. We examined whether or not personal norm and goal enjoyment contribute to predicting having condoms available in the context of cognition specified by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Design Prospective survey study, with a baseline and follow-up measurement (at 3 months). Methods Data were gathered using an online survey. In total 282 adolescents (mean age = 15.6, 74% female adolescents) completed both questionnaires. At baseline, demographics, sexual experience, condom use, TPB variables, descriptive norm, personal norm, and enjoyment towards having condoms available were measured. At T2 (3 months later) having condoms available was measured. Direct and moderating effects of personal norm and goal enjoyment were examined by means of hierarchical linear regression analyses. Results Regression analyses yielded a direct effect of self-efficacy and personal norm on condom availability. In addition, moderation of the intention-behaviour relation by goal enjoyment added to the variance explained. The final model explained approximately 35% of the variance in condom availability. Conclusions Personal norm and goal enjoyment add to the predictive utility of a TPB model of having condoms available and may be useful intervention targets. Statement of contribution What is already known about this subject? Having condoms available is an important prerequisite for actual condom use. The theory of planned behaviour has successfully been applied to explain condom availability behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour has been criticized for not adequately taking into account affective motivation. What does this study add? Personal norm and goal enjoyment add to the predictive utility of the model. Personal norm explains condom availability directly, enjoyment increases intention enactment. Personal norm and goal enjoyment therefore are useful intervention targets. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/18291/ 2009-04-01T00:00:00Z Objective: The present study aimed to predict Tanzanian medical students' Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) participation intention using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a theoretical framework. Further, differences between respondents who had previously participated in VCT and respondents who had not were assessed. Methods: Cross-sectional data were gathered from 186 Tanzanian medical students using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Almost half of the respondents (43.3%) reported having been tested for HIV. A prediction model containing HBM and demographic variables explained 31% of the variance in VCT-participation intention. Self-efficacy, fear of being HIV-positive, and perceived susceptibility contributed significantly to the final regression model. In addition, respondents who had previously participated in VCT expressed less fear of being stigmatized and being HIV-positive than respondents who had not. Conclusion: Fear of being HIV-positive, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility and fear of being stigmatized were associated with either VCT-participation intention or previous participation. Further, the HBM accounted for a limited proportion of the explained variance in Tanzanian students' intention to participate in VCT. This suggests that the validity of the HBM in explaining HIV-preventive behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa should be questioned. Practice implications: Interventions promoting VCT should incorporate program elements targeting self-efficacy, fear of being HIV-positive, perceived susceptibility and fear of being stigmatized. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/15386/ 2009-02-01T00:00:00Z Understanding blood donation motivation among non-donors is prerequisite to effective recruitment. Two studies explored the psychological antecedents of blood donation motivation and the generalisability of a model of donation motivation across groups differing in age and educational level. An older well-educated population and a younger less well-educated population were sampled. The studies assessed the role of altruism, fear of blood/needles and donation-specific cognitions including attitudes and normative beliefs derived from an extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Across both samples, results showed that affective attitude, subjective norm, descriptive norm, and moral norm were the most important correlates of blood donation intentions. Selfefficacy was more important among the younger less well-educated group. Altruism was related to donation motivation but only indirectly through moral norm. Similarly, fear of blood/needles only had an indirect effect on motivation through affective attitude and self-efficacy. Additional analyses with the combined data set found no age or education moderation effects, suggesting that this core model of donation-specific cognitions can be used to inform future practical interventions recruiting new blood donors in the general population. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/14796/ 2008-10-01T00:00:00Z Background and Objectives: Social influence shapes behaviour and donors are ambassadors for blood banks. Donors are role models for family and friends and, therefore, so may be able to help with donor recruitment. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was used to assess donors' willingness to engage in donor recruitment. Measures included willingness to recruit new donors and antecedents of recruitment motivation based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Results: More than half of our participants were willing to try to recruit friends and family (57%). Self-efficacy was the most important correlate of intention to recruit as were cognitive attitude and experience with the blood bank. The findings suggest that the TPB provides a good basis for understanding cognitive antecedents of donors' willingness to recruit other donors. Conclusion: Results suggest that using existing donors to recruit new donors could be an efficient and cost-effective way to recruit additional donors. This approach warrants further investigation. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/14732/ 2008-08-01T00:00:00Z In many developing countries persons living with HIV and AIDS experience strong stigma and discrimination, and AIDS-related stigma has an enormous negative impact on their social relationships, access to resources, and psychological well being. Moreover, AIDS-related stigma hampers HIV-related health promotion, including voluntary HIV counselling and testing. In this article, we will argue that programs to reduce AIDS-related stigma are most likely to be effective if these programs are based upon thorough needs assessments, theory- and evidence-based intervention strategies and collaborative planning. A protocol for health promotion programs design is outlined. Furthermore, psychosocial correlates of AIDS-related stigma in developing countries, social-psychological theories that might be useful in designing intervention strategies to reduce stigmatisation and successful elements of previous interventions aimed at stigma reduction are discussed. It is concluded that psychological theory does provide guidelines for the development of stigma-reducing intervention programs, but that such programs can only be effective when based upon context-specific needs assessment and collaborative planning. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/8078/ 2006-09-01T00:00:00Z This is a postprint of the article published in Netherlands Journal of Psychology http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/10170/ 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z AIDS telephone hotlines may have an important function in AIDS education, HIV prevention and counseling. In this study, consults of the Dutch AIDS Information Helpline were evaluated to determine the AIDS information needs of the callers and callers’ satisfaction with the telephone-delivered information and consultation. Immediately after their telephone consult, callers (N = 309) were redirected to co-workers of an independent telephone survey. They participated in an interview on content and evaluation of the telephone consult. This study shows that most telephone calls concerned questions about personal risk of HIV transmission, HIV transmission in general and HIV testing. Callers were very satisfied with the services of the helpline. Furthermore, helpline employees’ counseling and conversation skills were evaluated very positively. These results are discussed within the scope of the professional organization of the Dutch AIDS Information Helpline.