The general purpose of the proposed research is to describe the characteristics of the proximal (individual, family, peer, school) and distal (neighborhood) social contexts that serve to protect black adolescents against sexual risk behavior and its related outcomes of pregnancy and STDs. An attempt will be made to describe factors in the social context of black adolescents which promote resiliency and healthy sexual expression (i.e., abstinence or safe sex), especially among those adolescents considered """"""""high-risk."""""""" And, finally, the implications for adolescent health policy, both changes in present policies and the development of new policies which adequately address the issue of adolescent sexual risk behavior, by incorporating and promoting an understanding of protective, as well as risk factors, will be discussed. Two levels of analysis are proposed for the study. The first level of analysis will, within a particular distal social context (high or low risk), compare groups at the individual level to identify factors in the proximal social context that influence adolescent sexual behavior and related outcomes. The second level of analysis will vary the neighborhood environment to assess the impact of a high risk vs. low risk neighborhood on the effectiveness (predictiveness) of factors in the proximal social context to influence adolescent sexual behavior and related outcomes. At this time I am still in the preliminary stages of the development of my research proposal for which I seek funding. Through periodic meetings with my Sponsor, and participation in a seminar, which my Sponsor facilitated, I have developed the general conceptual idea, research question, objectives and hypotheses for the proposed research. However, more work needs to be done as I continue to fine tune those areas, as well as explore the research design and methodology that would best meet the needs of the proposed research. As a result, I am unable, at this time, to describe concisely the research design and methodology that will be used. However, my training under the period of the fellowship will involve continued meetings with, and guidance from, my Sponsor in order to assess the best research design and methodology to employ, as well as additional coursework in that area once it has been decided upon. Therefore, the research design and methods will be something I will learn and apply as part of my continued training. I plan to have constructed the research design and methods by October 1995, as I plan to complete preliminary oral exams by January 1996.
