A development model of preventing of sexual risk behaviors for early adolescence Thai Muslim girls

The risk of modern Muslim girls’ engagement in sexual risk behaviors is no different from that of girls in general. Sexual risk behaviors can lead to sexually transmitted infections, and sinful feelings if they are unmarried. This problem requires preventive strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore the need to prevent sexual risk behaviors and to develop a model for preventing sexual risk behaviors among early adolescent Thai Muslim girls. This research design was research and development. There are four phases that are situation analysis, creating and auditing innovation, developing innovation, and test model. Phase 1 (situation analysis), qualitative study was applied. The purposive sampling and snowball technique were selected participants; they were 25 adolescent Muslim girls, 25 parents or legal guardians, 8 teachers, and 8 adolescent Muslim boys. Data were collected via focus group and in-depth interview and analyzed by content analysis. Trustworthiness were data triangulation, member checking, and debriefing. The results of phase 1 revealed that the needs related to sexual risk behavior prevention for early adolescent Thai Muslim girls included 1) Cognitive skills (evasion and survival knowledge; propriety); 2) Self-control (religious practice, daily life behaviors, socialization); 3) Emotional control (knowing how to love, refuse, and restrain), and 4) Knowledge (knowledge of religious principles, knowledge of biology, and life skill knowledge). Phase 2,3 (creating and auditing innovation, developing innovation), this step was created the new model of preventing of sexual risk behaviors for early adolescent Thai Muslim girls by the needs’ adolescent and concepts from literature reviews. There are four concepts, cognitive skills, self-control, emotional control, and knowledge. The program consisted of video, lesson plans, games, drawing, emotional tickers, and group discussions/presentations. The program was validated by 3 experts and reflected by all stakeholders (adolescents, parents, and teachers). The researcher developed an appropriate new model again before testing in phase 4.Phase 4 (Test model), the model was evaluated by a quasi-experimental design with 2 groups (pre-test and post-test). The samples were selected by classify sampling and simple random sampling. The samples size from G*Power (effect size .23, power .80, N=40) were 48 adolescent Thai Muslim girls and compared by age, education, school, and background of family leader. The measurement tools were intimate sexual behavior and self-efficacy for safe sexual behaviors that showed valid and reliability .79 and .82 respectively. Data analyzed by independent T-Test and One-way repeated measure ANOVA. The result showed that sexual intimate behaviors in experimental group from pre-test, post-test 3 months, and 6 months showed two decreased behaviors (Chat with men, spending time alone with men), not practicing five behaviors (Hugging, cuddling, kissing, laying down together, and engage in intercourse). In the control group, they had only one increased behavior that was holding hand and other behaviors no change. Comparison the mean score of self-efficacy before and after receiving the intervention at each time point. The finding showed that the experimental group had mean score of self-efficacy for safe sexual behaviors higher than the control group at immediate, 3 months, and 6 months (p<.05; .01; <.001) respectively. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc test showed the mean score of an experimental group increased when compared with timing (p<.001). The results revealed new knowledge that can help healthcare providers gain a better understanding of sexual risk behaviors in early adolescent Thai Muslim girls. This preventing sexual risk behaviors program can be applied to encourage Thai Muslim girls and other Muslim adolescents to be able to take care of themselves and stay safe from sexual risk behaviors.