[01] Ayodele Kolawole Olanrewaju, Senior Research Officer, Research and International Cooperation (RIC), Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria. [02] Aderanti Ruth, Academic Planning, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Babcock University Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria. [03] Olanipekun Oladele Kehinde, Ikenne Community High School, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Purpose: This study examined the moderating role of experiential avoidance on the relationship of determinants of risky sexual behaviour and sexual attitude among Nigerian adolescents. Methods: The study employed descriptive survey research design of an expost-facto type. A sample of 1200 senior secondary school 3 students (SS3) selected through the use of stratified and simple random sampling techniques from forty (40) secondary schools in the four educational zones (RIYE) in Ogun State, Nigeria. The mean age of the sample was 16.4 years with a standard deviation of 5.8. Their ages ranged between 14 and 19 years. Three standardized instruments were used to collect data for the study. Pearson Product Moment Coefficient and multiple regression statistical analyses were used to analysed the data collected. Results: The results showed further that all the four predictor variables (unprotected sex, multiple sexual partner, inconsistence use of condom/contraceptives, and drug use) significantly predicted the criterion variable (sexual attitude of Nigerian adolescents). The influence of independent variables (IVs) on the dependent (DV) is 34.1 %. It means that all the four IVs combined (UPS, MP, IUCC, and DUA) have 34.1% effect on the DV (SA). Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for every stakeholders – parents, teachers, guidance counsellors, psychologists, and policy makers to focus attention on the global sexual health status of an individual, which is as a result of the interactions between biological, social, psychological, and behavioural, as well as spiritual domains. This in turn will lead to adequate health promotion that is an important determining individual health status which held the individual responsible for his own health.

Adolescents, Sexual Behavior, Sexual Attitude, Experiential Avoidance

[01] Akinawo, E. O., & Owonikin, I. O. (2007).Knowledge of HIV/AIDS fear and sexual risk behaviours among selected school adolescents in Akure.In Nwazuoke et al. (Eds.), Education for Social Transformation (pp. 361-374). Ibadan: University Press. [02] Akindele-Oscar, A. B. & Ayodele, K.O. (2004).Undergraduates’ knowledge of reproductive health issues and its relationship with their permissive sexual expression. Nigerian Journal of Applied Psychology, 8(1), 240-249. [03] Andrew, D. H., & Dulin, P. L. (2007). The relationship between self-reported health and mental health problems among older adults in New Zealand: Experiential avoidance as a moderator. Aging & Mental Health, 11, 596-603. [04] Ashley, N. (2009). Role of experiential avoidance in the adolescent sexual revictimization of women sexually abused in childhood. A PhD dissertation of the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia. [05] Ayodele, K. O. and Akindele-Oscar, A (2014) Psychological inclinations associated with adolescents’ sexual behaviour: the moderating effect of gender. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 6(1), 50-60 [06] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2012) CDC. Sexual risk behavior: HIV, STD, & teen pregnancy prevention. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/sexualbehaviors/ [07] Chambers, R., Gullone, E., & Allen, N. B. (2009). Mindful emotion regulation: An integrative [08] review. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(6), 560-572. [09] Costa, J., & Pinto‐Gouveia, J. (2011). The mediation effect of experiential avoidance between coping and psychopathology in chronic pain. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 18, 34-47 [10] Ellison, M. A. (2003). Authoritative knowledge and single women's unintentional pregnancies, abortions, adoption, and single motherhood: Social stigma and structural violence. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 17(3), 322-347. [11] Farach, F. J., Mennin, D. S., Smith, R. L., & Mandelbaum, M. (2008). The impact of pre-trauma analogue GAD and posttraumatic emotional reactivity following exposure to the September 11 terrorist attacks: A longitudinal study. Behavior Therapy, 39(3), 262-276. [12] Gabhainn, S. N., Baban, A., Boyce, W., & Godeau, E. (2009). How well protected are sexually active 15-year olds? cross-national patterns in condom and contraceptive pill use 2002-2006. International Journal of Public Health, 54, 209-215. [13] Gámez, W., Chmielewski, M., Kotov, R., Ruggero, C., & Watson, D. (2011). Development of a measure of experiential avoidance: The Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire. Psychological Assessment, 23, 692-713. [14] Goldstone, E., Farhall, J., & Ong, B. (2011). Life hassles, experiential avoidance and distressing delusional experiences. Behaviour Research And Therapy, 49, 260-266. [15] Gold, S.D., Dickstein, B.D., Marx, B.P. & Lexington, J.M. (2009). Psychological outcomes among lesbian sexual assault survivors: An examination of the roles of internalized homophobia and experiential avoidance. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33, 54–66. [16] Gold, S., Marx, B., & Lexington, J. (2007). Gay male sexual assault survivors: The relations among internalized homophobia, experiential avoidance, and psychological symptom severity. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 549-562. [17] Gratz, K. L., & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and [18] dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26(1), 41-54. [19] Hayes, S. C., Wilson, K. G., Gifford, E. V., Follette, V. M., & Strosahl, K. (1996). Experiential avoidance and behavioral disorders: A functional dimensional approach to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 1152-1168. [20] Hendrick, C., Hendrick, S.S., & Reich, D.A. (2006). The brief sexual attitudes scale. Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Gale Group. Downloaded on January 8, 2014 from www.thefreelibrary.com [21] Inyang, M. P. (2007). Educating young people against risky sexual behaviours. In: Nwazuoke et al. (Eds.), Education for Social Transformation ( pp. 290-300), Ibadan: University Press. [22] Makinde, B.O. (2004). Self-monitoring, physical attractiveness and eating disorders: implication, for females’ perception of heterosocial attachment. Nigerian Journal of Applied Psychology, 8(1), 195-203. [23] Marx, B. P., & Sloan, D. M. (2002). The role of emotion in the psychological functioning of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Behavior Therapy, 33, 563. [24] Marx, B. P., & Soler-Baillo, J. M. (2005). The relationships among risk recognition, autonomic and self-reported arousal, and posttraumatic stress symptomatology in acknowledged and unacknowledged victims of sexual assault. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67(4), 618-624. [25] McDowell, J. (2002) Why true love wants. USA: Tyndale house publishers. [26] Millstein, S., & Halpern-Felsher, B. (2002). Perceptions of risk and vulnerability. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31S, 10-37. [27] Ogunsanya, E.A. (2007). Adolescents’ perception of sex symbol, values, risks and misconceptions. Ogun Journal of Counselling Studies, 1(1), 144-152. [28] Olusakin, M.O. & Parmer, T. (2007). Nigerian college students’ attitudes about love, marriage and sexual relations: implications for family counselling. International Journal of Educational Research, 3, 1, 35-46. [29] Pender, N.J., Murdaugh, C.L. and Parsons, M.A. (2011) Health Promotion in Nursing Practice. 6th Edition, Pearson, Boston. [30] Reddy, M. K., Pickett, S. M., & Orcutt, H. K. (2006). Experiential avoidance as a mediator in the relationship between childhood psychological abuse and current mental health symptoms in college students. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 6(1), 67-85. [31] Robertson, S. C., & Hopko, D. R. (2009). Experiential avoidance: A moderator of the relationship between age and emotional expression. Aging & Mental Health, 13(4), 611-618. [32] Santanello, A. W., & Gardner, F. L. (2007). The role of experiential avoidance in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and worry. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 31(3), 319-332.