Can Technology Decrease Sexual Risk Behaviors among Young People? Results of a Pilot Study Examining the Effectiveness of a Mobile Application Intervention

Abstract

College students represent an important population for studying and understanding factors that influence sexual risk given the populations' high risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. Using a quasi-experimental design, the efficacy of a brief and theory-driven mobile application intervention designed to decrease sexual risk behaviors among young college students (N = 118) was tested. Ninety-six percent (n = 114) of the participants showed an increase in contraceptive use knowledge from pretest to posttest (p = .013). Participants did not show a statistically significant change in intention to reduce sexual risk behaviors or actual risk reduction. This study supports the use of technology to educate college students about sexual health.