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The Association of Risk, Protective Factors, and Gender to Substance Use and Sexual Activity Among Prenatally Substance Exposed Adolescents

Edguer, Marjorie Nigar
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5892-2134
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491660086819411

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Social Welfare.
Although research has investigated both risks and protective factors associated with risky teen health behaviors, an examination of these factors simultaneously and with regard to gender differences has not been studied comprehensively or in teens known to be at elevated risk for early substance use and sexual risk taking. This study examined relationships between gender, risk and protective factors at age 12 and risky health behaviors (RHB) (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use and sexual intercourse at age 15) in a sample of low socio-economic status, primarily African American, prenatally poly-substance exposed youth. This study utilized secondary longitudinal data from Project Newborn-Next Steps, a National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded longitudinal study of prenatally cocaine-exposed children and their mothers/caregivers, (NIDA RO1 07957), from 265 prenatally substance exposed adolescents. The Developmental Assets Profile, ALEXSA substance use risk scales (permissive attitude, perceived substance access) at age 12 and substance use and sexual risk behavior (YRBSS and biologic samples) at age 15 were used to assess the primary predictor variables and outcomes. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was used to determine if a permissive attitude to toward substance use, perceived access and number of developmental assets are associated with RHB, whether these risk and protective factors interact to affect RHB and how gender influences these associations while controlling for covariates. For males, more developmental assets were a predictor of marijuana use, tobacco use, and sexual intercourse; externalizing behavior was a predictor of tobacco use, and violence exposure was a predictor of sexual intercourse. For females, perceived access to substances was a predicator of marijuana use, and tobacco use; and externalizing behavior was a predictor of sexual intercourse. Developmental assets did not moderate the relationship between risk factors and RHB. Increased understanding of risk and protective factor functioning in high risk populations is essential to designing effective prevention programs. Prevention of adolescent risky health behaviors of substance use and sexual intercourse calls for approaches that are gender and culturally informed.
Sonia Minnes, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Meeyoung Min, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Elizabeth Tracy, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Elizabeth Short, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
200 p.
Social Work
adolescence; risky health behaviors; substance use; marijuana use; tobacco use; alcohol use; sexual intercourse; risky sexual behavior; gender differences; prenatal substance exposure; developmental assets

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Edguer, M. N. (2017). The Association of Risk, Protective Factors, and Gender to Substance Use and Sexual Activity Among Prenatally Substance Exposed Adolescents [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491660086819411

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Edguer, Marjorie. The Association of Risk, Protective Factors, and Gender to Substance Use and Sexual Activity Among Prenatally Substance Exposed Adolescents. 2017. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491660086819411.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Edguer, Marjorie. "The Association of Risk, Protective Factors, and Gender to Substance Use and Sexual Activity Among Prenatally Substance Exposed Adolescents." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491660086819411

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1491660086819411
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.