Do parents and peers matter? A prospective socio-ecological examination of substance use and sexual risk among African American youth

We examined the direct contribution of parent and peer risk and promotive factors on youth condom use trajectories, in addition to the indirect influence of these factors via youth’s substance use over four years in a sample of urban, African American youth (N = 679; 51% female; M = 14.86 years; SD = 0.65). Growth curve modeling was used to estimate changes in substance use and sexual risk across adolescence and test their association with parent and peer factors. Parent and peer risk factors were strongly associated with increasing substance use as youth aged. Substance use and condom use were interrelated. Parent and peer risk factors were indirectly associated with youth condom use; parent and peer promotive factors were directly associated with condom use, after accounting for substance use. Findings suggest the value of considering multiple influences on youth risk behavior.