Resum
Consistent condom use tends to be limited in youth, which makes this group especially vulnerable for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies. It is known that sexual risk may vary as a function of behavioral intentions (e.g., condom use intention or having
sex under the influence of alcohol), but no studies have yet characterized the sexual risk profiles considering behavioral intentions. This study utilizes latent class analysis (LCA) to explore the subtyping of behavioral intentions related to sexual risk in a community-based sample of adolescents
aged 14 to 16 years from Spain. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association
between class membership and participants’ sociodemographic variables (sex, age, educational
level, socioeconomic status, and family situation), and behavioral variables (sexual experience and
percentage of condom use). Among the 1557 participants, four latent classes of risk were identified:
“Condom + drugs”, “abstinent”, “condom + no drugs”, and “no condom + drugs”. Differences in
adolescents’ sex, age, educational level, sexual experience, and condom use across latent classes were
found. Findings highlight opportunities for psychologists, educators, and health-care providers to
promote condom use in adolescents with differing sexual risk profiles. Increased understanding of
behavioral intentions among adolescents may help to reduce sexual risk behaviors in this group.