Racial Differences in Protective Factors for Drug Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Urban Black and Hispanic Female Adolescents

Background: Adolescent substance abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention research tends to overlook the resiliency skills that adolescents of color may possess. In addition, adolescent females of color, particularly Black and Hispanic adolescents, are often viewed as a homogenous group with adolescent boys of color, thus ignoring unique gender-racial specific risk and protective factors to drug use and HIV/AIDS that may be present. Such an absence can lead to flawed outcomes in HIV, STDS (sexually transmitted diseases), and substance abuse prevention work that may continue to marginalize these groups. Using empowerment theory and intersectionality as a framework, this study examines the relationship of ethnic identity, social support, and psychological empowerment on drug use and sexual risk behavior.

Methods: The study uses a sample of (N= 830) female adolescents who identify as being Black only or Non-White Hispanic only that reside in a northeastern urban community in New Jersey. Participants were between the ages of 10–17 years of age. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized model of social support, psychological empowerment and ethnic identity on sexual risk behavior and the mediating role of drug use.

Results: Drug use significantly mediated the relationship between social support, ethnic identity, and psychological empowerment on sexual risk behavior. Social support, ethnic identity, and psychological empowerment had a significant negative relationship with 30-day drug use and sexual risk behavior. However, racial differences arose when separate path models were conducted by racial group. Social support and ethnic identity had a much stronger negative relationship to drug use and sexual risk behavior among Black adolescent females in the sample while psychological empowerment had a much stronger negative association with sexual risk behavior among Hispanic adolescent females only. 

Conclusion and Implications: Given the rise of STI in the United States among adolescents and young adults, findings from this study can contribute to developing innovative approaches to drug use and STI prevention among girls of color. By highlighting the strengths of girls of color, in addition to the unique social and cultural difference in protective factors among Black and Hispanic girls, researchers can attempt to learn from those who are not engaging in risky behaviors as opposed to focusing heavily on etiology which can continue to marginalize young girls of color.