| dc.description.abstract | The study was aimed at assessing the links between relationship intimacy, optimism bias and risky sexual behavior among undergraduate students at Makerere University. The study adopted a quantitative correlational research design, and a sample of 186 students (87 male and 99 female) was selected using a purposive sampling technique. The results revealed statistically significant positive relationship between emotional intimacy and optimism bias (r =.280, p < .001), and negative correlations between optimism bias and risky sexual behavior (r = -.370, p < .001), and between emotional intimacy and risky sexual behavior (r = -.237, p < .001). However, the results did not reveal statistically significant relationships between sexual intimacy and optimism bias (r = .055, p = .460), and between sexual intimacy and risky sexual behavior (r = -.013, p = .067). These results suggest that high emotional intimacy was associated with increased optimism bias, but contrary to our prediction, both increased emotional intimacy and optimism bias were associated with decreased involvement in risky sexual behavior. This might suggest that individuals, who are emotionally intimate, not only underestimate their likelihood of exposure to risk, but are also more likely underestimate the risk associated with their sexual behavior. We therefore, recommend that Universities should invest in promoting comprehensive sexual education that includes discussions on sexually transmitted infection to ensure that students are aware of safe sex practices and where to access resources like condoms and testing sexual transmitted infection. | en_US |
