Validating the Theory of Planned Behavior Model Extended to Social Marketing Behavioral Enhancers Using Structural Equation Modeling

Background: This study addresses the HIV/AIDS epidemic that constitutes a major health issue in South Africa, the country most burdened by the virus in the world. Focus of the Article: It is an empirical study that investigates predictive behavioral patterns between traditional components of the theory of planned behavior and the previously identified social marketing behavioral enhancers and intentions to perform preventative sexual behaviors promoted under the Abstinence, Being faithful, and Condomize campaign. Research Question: The main question this study attempts to answer is: Is it relevant to increase the theory of planned behavior components by incorporating the social marketing behavioral enhancers’ variables to design programs that successfully influence individuals to adhere to the preventative sexual behaviors? Importance to the Social Marketing Field: Results will tell social marketers, through design programs fighting the spread of the HIV set within a theory of planned behavior theoretical framework, which of the social marketing behavioral enhancers are worth integrating into their model to induce behavioral change. Methods: Theory of planned behavior models extended to social marketing behavioral enhancers for abstinence, faithfulness, and condom use were used as theoretical frameworks to test how well they are good fits of the empirically manifested structural models. Gauteng was chosen, because three of the five metropolitan municipalities with a HIV prevalence greater than 10% are located in this province. Data were collected by means of questionnaires administered to a sample chosen randomly, using a multi-stage stratification method. A quota was determined for each suburb or city considered according to the size of its population compared to the overall Gauteng population to ensure representativeness of the study’s sample. Results: The study’s theoretical frameworks fitted the data well, but results also revealed insignificant causal relationships between HIV/AIDS knowledge and all Abstinence–Being faithful–Condomize intentions. Similarly, no predictive relationships were found between accessibility to HIV/AIDS information and intention to use condoms, while attitudes toward abstinence and condom use were insignificant with their respective intentions. However, their positive correlations with predictive variables suggest that they influence intentions indirectly. Recommendation for Research: Researchers are invited to conduct further studies to test the model in a different context. Indeed, this study does not investigate whether relationships between HIV/AIDS knowledge, accessibility to HIV/AIDS information, and attitudes toward abstinence and condom use would remain insignificant or that it could not change over time in a research ground other than Gauteng. Opportunities should be explored to augment the traditional theory of planned behavior components by variables other than the social marketing behavioral enhancers, in order to build a more robust model that will incorporate more significant factors to design successful programs. Limitations: Collecting data from only one province constitutes a limitation in terms of drawing conclusions for the whole South African population.