Adolescent risk behaviors covary, forming a "problem behavior syndrome." Understanding patterns of covariation is important because adolescents who exhibit multiple risk behaviors may also be at elevated risk for poor mental health outcomes such as suicidal ideation. However, there has been relatively little systematic exploration of possible cultural differences in the deviance of different behaviors and syndromes they comprise. For example, surveys demonstrate that Black adolescents are more likely to initiate sexual activity, but not substance use, at younger ages than Hispanics or Whites. This difference suggests that early sexual experience may not necessarily indicate elevated risk for substance use or poor mental health outcomes for some groups of adolescents. Using national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, we examine: 1) whether factor solutions for multiple measures of substance use and sexual activity are the same across grade and race/ethnicity groups; and 2) whether associations between resulting risk behavior factor(s) and suicidal ideation vary across grade race/ethnicity groups. Principal component analyses of risk behaviors tapping lifetime experiences and current behavior were conducted separately by grade (9-12) and race/ethnicity (black, white, Hispanic/Latino). Associations between different factor score constructions and reports of suicidal ideation will be examined in logistic regression analyses. Preliminary results indicate that factors vary across grade/race groups, depending partly on the particular constellation of behaviors included in analyses. Results will be discussed in terms of the implications of these variations for the identification of adolescents who are at risk of substance abuse and poor mental health outcomes.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this paper, listeners will be able to: 1. Describe the similarities and differences in how substance use and sexual behaviors cluster among adolescents of different racial and ethnic gorups in grades 9-12; 2. Describe how clusters of these risk behaviors are associated with suicidal ideation among adolescents of different racial and ethnic groups in grades 9-12
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Minorities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.