Religiosity as a protective factor for drug refusal efficacy and use among African American adolescents

This study examined whether religiosity moderated the influence of neighborhood risks and peer drug use upon drug refusal efficacy and drug use among African American adolescents. This study hypothesized that the risk-protective model of resilience and the social development model of positive youth development would explain moderation effects. One hundred and thirteen African American urban adolescents (77 females and 36 males) ages 11-17 (M=14.17) from a small Mid-Atlantic city participated in this study.

This study used the following scales as indicators of predictor, protective and outcome variables: The God Support and Religious Support; the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's Special Event Drug Refusal Efficacy and Friends' Drug Use; and the Exposure to Neighborhood Risk. Consistent with previous research, participants reported low levels and frequencies of drug use. This study's findings also supported previous research which suggests peer drug as a significant predictor of alcohol and tobacco use (p<.01). Also, neighborhood risk exposure was a significant predictor of marijuana use among African American adolescents in this sample (p<.05).

Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that religiosity moderated the influence of neighborhood risks upon tobacco and alcohol refusal efficacy (p<.01). Higher levels of religiosity were also associated with lower levels of marijuana use and higher levels of alcohol and tobacco refusal efficacy (p<.01). This study's findings that religiosity may increase drug refusal efficacy while reducing influences of drug use risk factors warrants further investigation into the mechanisms underlying this protective factor.