Correlates of Breast Self‐Examination in a Sample of College Women: Analyses of Linear Structural Relations¹

Female college students filled out a questionnaire about breast self‐examination (BSE) including (a) past and intended frequency of BSE, (b) attitude toward BSE, (c) beliefs about the benefits and costs of BSE, (d) knowledge about BSE, (e) confidence in ability to perform BSE, (f) social influences to perform BSE, (g) personal experiences related to breast cancer, and (h) perceptions of susceptibility to and severity of breast cancer. Results were consistent with a model in which (a) attitude and confidence are the direct causes of BSE, (b) beliefs about the benefits and costs of BSE are the direct causes of attitude, and (c) social influences (e.g., being taught how) and knowledge are the direct causes of confidence.