"Using the Primary Socialization Theory to predict HIV risk and substance abuse among adolescents from a nationally representative sample."

Purpose: To use the Primary Socialization Theory (PST) to predict substance use and HIV risk among Black and White adolescents and identify disparities in HIV risk and substance abuse outcomes.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from Wave I of the Add Health survey (N=4000) were analyzed and stratified by race. Self reported substance use and sexual risk-taking behaviors, PST constructs, and covariates were assessed using univariate and multivariate modeling techniques.

Results: Black youth were more likely to report sexual initiation [57% vs. 35%, p<.001], while White youth were more likely to report lifetime alcohol use [58% vs. 44%, p<.001]. Both groups shared similar rates of condom use (first and recent sex) and lifetime marijuana use. Among White adolescents, the PST predicts lifetime alcohol use and marijuana use, and initiation of sex. However, it does not predict condom use. Among Black adolescents, the PST predicts lifetime alcohol use. The school and family constructs were significant predictors of risk for lifetime marijuana use, initiation of sex, and condom use at first sex for Black youth.

Conclusions: The PST as a whole is a good predictor of adolescent risk taking behavior for White adolescents but not for Black youth. Although the theory predicts lifetime alcohol use among Black adolescents, the findings indicate that interventionist should tailor interventions for both populations in order to mitigate risk.