Community, Neighborhood and School Effects on Adolescent Sexual Behavior

John O.G. Billy, Battelle- Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation
Lisa Cubbins, Battelle- Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation
William R. Grady, Battelle- Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation
Daniel H. Klepinger, Battelle- Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation

We examine the linkages between community, neighborhood and school context and an adolescent’s risk of engaging in sexual behavior that can lead to the acquisition of HIV/AIDS and other STDs, and unintended pregnancy. In particular, we apply the theoretical framework developed by Jencks and Mayer (1990) and examine the influence of five key underlying mechanisms of extrafamilial context (collective socialization, epidemic, institutional, competition, and relative deprivation mechanisms) on the number of recent sex partners (within the last 18 months) an adolescent has had. Recognizing that not all adolescents may be similarly affected by their community, neighborhood, and school contexts, we also examine the extent to which age, gender, race/ethnicity, and family structure and process affect an adolescent’s susceptibility to the effects of context on her or his sexual behavior. We use Wave 1 data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health).