Factors Influencing Adolescent Resilience and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Prevention Behavior: A Cross-sectional Study of Adolescents in DKI Jakarta Province, Indonesia

The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains high in Indonesia. Therefore, HIV-AIDS prevention and control programs have been established for adolescents aged 15–24 years based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Internal risk factors related to risky sexual behavior and external risk factors associated with exposure to pornography through the media are major hurdles that need to be overcome in efforts to prevent HIV-AIDS among adolescents. Meanwhile, individual protective factors through self-control and adolescent resilience strongly impact the enhancement of HIV-AIDS prevention behavior. This study aimed to determine whether internal and external risk factors and individual and sociocultural protective factors exert influences on adolescent resilience and HIV-AIDS prevention behavior among adolescents.

This research employed a descriptive quantitative design with a cross-sectional approach. The population consisted of high school students aged 15–19 years in Jakarta, and a sample of 619 students was taken through proportional stratified random sampling. Inferential analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

The data analysis revealed that adolescent resilience (β-value = 0.423; t = 12.129), internal risk factors (β-value = 0.292; t = 10.903), and external risk factors (β-value = -0.088; t = 6.127) most significantly influenced HIV-AIDS prevention behavior, with significant negative impacts. The sub-variable that most strongly determined the presence of HIV-AIDS prevention behavior (Y2) was self-control (λ = 0.983), and the one that did so most weakly was negative cognition (λ = 0.875).

Adolescent resilience is a crucial factor in enhancing HIV-AIDS prevention behavior among adolescents as it influences adolescents’ beliefs, boosts their self-confidence, fosters emotional insight, and develops social skills and empathy toward others. Thus, enhancing it through HIV-AIDS prevention programs is essential.