BELIEFS LINKED TO THE USAGE OF MALE CONDOM IN SEXUALLY ACTIVE SPANISH TEENAGERS

The aim of this work is to assess the level of use of male condom and to identify the main beliefs about condomuse in a sample of 315 teenagers (55,6 % boys and 44,6% girls) belonging to secondary schools, with an average ageof 18,27, which represent 23,8 % of the total sample (N= 1323). The results show that 48,1% of the sexuallyactive students use condoms systematically, boys use them more often than girls. The condom use for boys arerelated interference with the sexual pleasure and for girls are related with have sex without taking any risk. In theboys the best predictors of the use are linked to a less sexual activity frequency, owing to considerations about adouble contraceptive and preventive function of the condom, to the feeling of safety when using it, and to feel noembarrasment when buying them. In the girls the best predicgtors of the condom use are little use of the pill, theless frequent coitus interruptus , and the safety feeling associated to the thought that the romantic atmosphere is notbroken make up.