CULTURAL SPECIFICITY OF SUPPORT SOURCES, CORRELATES AND CONTEXTS - 3 STUDIES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN YOUTH

Levels and correlates of parental support, peer support, partner suppo rt, and/or spiritual support among African American and Caucasian yout h were examined in three contexts: adolescent pregnancy (Study 1), fir st year of college (Study 2), and adolescence and young adulthood (age s 15-29; Study 3). Partially consistent with a cultural specificity pe rspective, in different contexts different support sources were higher in level and/or more strongly related to adjustment for one ethnic gr oup than the other Among pregnant adolescents, levels of spiritual sup port were higher for African Americans than Caucasians; additionally, peer support was positively related to well-being only for African Ame ricans whereas partner support was positively related to well-being on ly for Caucasians. Among college freshmen, family support was more str ongly related to institutional and goal commitment for African America ns than Caucasians; conversely, peer support was more strongly related to institutional and goal commitment among Caucasians. Among 15 to 29 -year-olds, levels of parental support and spiritual support were high er among African Americans than Caucasians; additionally, spiritual su pport was positively related to self-esteem for African Americans but not for Caucasians. Implications and limitations of the research are d iscussed.