Pathways from Peer Victimization to Sexual Risk-Taking Behavior Among African American Adolescents in Chicago's Southside

Background: African American youth bear a higher burden of peer victimization relative to their counterparts of other race/ethic groups. In addition, African Americans report rates of some STIs that are significantly higher than their peers of other racial/ethnic groups. Numerous studies have documented high rates of peer victimization and sexual risk-taking behavior among urban African American adolescents. In contrast, only a small number of studies have examined whether peer victimized adolescents are at an elevated risk of sexual risk-taking behaviors.  The present study examines whether peer victimizations is associated with sexual risk-taking behaviors and whether depression, exposure to negative peer norms, and substance use mediates this relationship among a sample of 269 urban African American adolescents in Chicago’s Southside. 

Method: Participants were African American youth (ages 13-24) from Chicago’s Southside. Youth were recruited from low-income communities which comprised predominantly African American residents. A cross-sectional research design was used and the adolescents completed self-report surveys, which consisted of questions on peer victimization, depression, exposure to negative peer norms, substance use, and sexual risk-taking behavior. Pearson’s coefficient correlations were included to test the relations among the measured variables in the hypothetical model of this study. To test the study hypotheses, structural equation modeling was used to test the direct and indirect effects of peer victimization on sexual risk-taking behavior after controlling for age, sex, sexual orientation, and poverty status. These path models involve (1) direct effect of peer victimization on sexual risk-taking behavior; and (2) the indirect effects of peer victimization on sexual risk-taking behavior as mediated by negative peer norms, depression, and substance use.

Results: Peer victimization was not found to be related to sexual risk-taking behavior. However, peer victimization was positively associated with negative peer norms and depression. Negative peer norms was also associated with depression, substance use, and sexual risk-taking behavior. Peer victimization was associated with negative peer norms, which in turn was related sexual risk-taking behavior. Finally, peer victimization was associated with negative peer norms, which in turn was related to substance use, and subsequently sexual risk-taking behavior. 

Conclusion and Implications: For bullied adolescents who reside in impoverished communities where few or no positive role models exists, they are likely to turn to unhealthy coping strategies, such as engaging in illicit drugs and risky sexual behaviors. Peer victimized adolescents may experience depression and be exposed to negative peer norms, which can lead to risk behaviors. It is important for clinicians working with adolescents to first conduct a thorough assessment of emotional or behavioral problems that might develop in response to peer victimization. However, clinicians need to consider in their assessment that peer victimized adolescents in low-income urban areas may experience a profound sense of grief due to multiple life stressors and may require somewhat different intervention approaches relative to adolescents residing in suburban areas. Researchers, health professionals, and interventionists need to assess contextual influences in peer victimization that are particularly relevant to adolescents in low-income communities.