Exploring the Correlation between Different Types of Subjective Norms and High-Risk Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study on College Students in Shiraz, Iran (2021)

Background: Youth is a unique stage in everyone’s life. During this period, individuals often engage in high-risk behaviors, including high-speed driving, smoking, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, and violence. One of the factors influencing these high-risk behaviors is subjective norms. This study aimed to compare the correlation between two types of norms—descriptive norms (DN) and injunctive norms (IN)—with seven high-risk behaviors among college students.Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study focused on the male and female students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected through multi-stage random sampling. An online researcher-made questionnaire, consisting of three parts: demographic information, questions about DN and IN, and questions about the frequency of behaviors, was sent to students. Descriptive analysis and bivariate Spearman’s correlation analysis were performed using SPSS 24.Results: 245 students (66.9% female) participated in the study. In the total population, regular exercise (r=0.179; P=0.005) and fast food (r=0.154; P=0.016) positively correlated with IN. Meanwhile, high-speed driving (r=0.148; P=0.021), drinking alcohol (r=0.198; P=0.002), and sexual relations outside of marriage (r=0.221; P=0.001) had a positive correlation with DN. No significant relationships were observed between aggression and smoking with either of the two types of subjective norms.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the two types of subjective norms do not affect health behaviors equally. Researchers should measure both descriptive and injunctive norms when using behavior change models that include the subjective norms construct.