Understanding Alcohol Consumption and Its Correlates among African American Youths in Public Housing: A Test of Problem Behavior Theory

African American youths are overrepresented in urban public housing developments characterized by violence, poverty, and alternative market activities. Using Jessor and Jessor's problem behavior theory (PBT), the authors examined alcohol use and its correlates in a sample of African American youths from three public housing developments (N = 403). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the relative contributions of demographics, personality, environment, and behavior system variables in predicting past-year alcohol use. Results provide support for PBT. Depressive effects and causes were significant predictors of adolescent alcohol use. Delinquent behavior and affiliation with delinquent peers were also associated with alcohol use. Furthermore, age was related to alcohol use. Implications for practice and future inquiry are suggested. KEY WORDS: African American youths; alcohol use; disaggregated effects; problem behavior theory; public housing development ********** African American youths are overrepresented in urban public housing developments characterized by violence, poverty, and alternative market activities. In the past few years, research has begun to focus specifically on this vulnerable population of youths. This research has contributed to our understanding of how various domains relate to African American adolescents' symptoms and behaviors, especially in the context of public housing neighborhoods. Alcohol use or misuse is a common maladaptive behavior in the United States (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). Research evidence shows that problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption--for example, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage, and psychiatric problems--tend to be exacerbated in youths reporting early initiation (Odgers et al., 2008). In particular, evidence suggests that alcohol is the most widely used drug by youths (Office of Juvenile .Justice and Delinquency Prevention [OJJDP], 2008). African American youths drink less than other youths on average (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2009). However, results of national surveys reveal that while frequent heavy drinking among white male individuals ages 18 to 29 continued to drop, rates of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems remained high among African Americans in the same age group (see, for example, SAMHSA, 2009). Consequently, the age-adjusted death rate from alcohol-related diseases for African Americans is 10% greater than it is for the general population (Kochanek, Murphy, Anderson, & Scott, 2004). Furthermore, alcohol use is related to the four leading causes of death among African Americans ages 12 to 20: homicide, unintentional injuries, car accidents, and suicide (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2006). In this group, alcohol consumption has also been linked to depressive symptoms (Grant, 1997). Other consequences of alcohol use or misuse include later adolescent predicaments, inhibiting acquisition of skills necessary for employment, and heightened health risks. We used Jessor and Jessor's (1977) problem behavior theory to help understand and explicate adolescent alcohol use in a sample of African American youths in public housing. The conceptual structure of the theory consists of three major systems that explain problem behavior: personality, perceived environment, and the behavior system. The theory asserts that each system serves either as instigator for or control against engaging in problem behavior. Proneness to problem behavior is determined by the balance between instigators and controls across the three systems. This study may guide development of interventions with greater potential to prevent the emergence of alcohol abuse and dependence during adolescence and early adulthood. This overview provides a context for understanding the significance of the social ecology in understanding African American adolescents' behavior in urban public housing. …