The study proposed for this K01 application has specific aims which will provide the opportunity to: l)enhance the Principal Investigator's knowledge and skills in model building and model testing, including the study of theory development and statistical methods (path modeling) by conducting a study to evaluate the relative validity of an ecological model (the Belsky sociobiologic theory of lifespan development) (Belsky, Steinberg & Draper, 1991a) and the Fishbein theory of reasoned action model, (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975; 1980) in accounting for accelerated sexual behavior in African American girls; 2) examine whether combining the ecological and reasoned action theoretical models provide increased validity over either model alone in accounting for accelerated sexual behavior in African American girls; and 3) utilize the outcomes of specific aims 1 and 2 as the basis for creating developmentally and culturally sensitive empirically guided intervention protocols to delay onset of sexual behavior in African American preteen girls. Minority mentors Dr. Jerome Taylor and Dr. Loretta Sweet Jemmott will guide the PI in the proposed study and research training. The Belsky sociobiologic theory of human life span development, an ecological model (EM), asserts that an unconsciously motivated reproductive strategy (accelerated sexual behavior) that is opportunistic, rather than occurring in a long-term pair bond context, may be essential to survival when children are raised in an unsupportive family context (father absent family structure, conflictual family environment and high contextual stressors). The Belsky theory has not been extensively tested prospectively, and has not been tested at all in nonwhite populations. An alternative model, theory of reasoned action model, (RAM, Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) posits that attitude toward a specific behavior and subjective norms concerning the behavior co-predict the intent to perform behavior X and its subsequent performance. Based on this theory, an adolescent's intent to engage in accelerated sexual behavior is co-predicted by his or her attitude toward the behavior and the subjective norms of referent (e.g., family, peer) groups. Since neither sociobiology nor rationality theory may provide a complete explanation of the predictors of accelerated sexual behavior, a composite model is also proposed. Path modeling will be used to test the theoretical relationships specified by the competing models.
