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Low school engagement and sexual behaviors among African American youth: examining the influences of gender, peer norms and gang involvement
- Authors:
- VOISIN Dexter R., NEILANDS Torsten B.
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 32(1), January 2010, pp.51-57.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This research examined whether negative peer influences (i.e., attitudes favouring risky sex and drug use and gang involvement) mediated the relationship between school engagement and sexual behaviours among African American high school adolescents, and whether these relationships varied by gender. Five hundred and sixty-three high school adolescents (ages 13 to 19) completed self-administered questionnaires that assessed school engagement markers, peer influences, sexual début, and risky sex. Major findings for boys indicate that grade point average (GPA) was negatively associated with both sexual début and risky sex. Additionally, the relationship between student-teacher connectedness and risky sex was mediated by gang involvement. For girls, higher GPAs were associated with fewer attitudes favouring risky sex and drug use and such attitudes were associated with sexual début. Moreover, the relationships between GPA, sexual début and risky sex was mediated by risky peer attitudes. Intervention programmes to delay sexual début and reduce risky sex among youths should focus on the gendered ways in which such behaviours occur.