YOUNG ADOLESCENT ATTITUDES TOWARD SEX AND SUBSTANCE USE - IMPLICATIONS FOR AIDS-PREVENTION

This paper explores differences in adolescents' attitudes, beliefs, an d resistance skills regarding sexual behaviors and use of substances i n the context of AIDS prevention. A total of 553 7th and 8th grade stu dents completed a self-administered questionnaire as baseline data col lection for a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention project. S tudents' attitudes about sexual behavior and substance use differed ma rkedly. Teens in this sample reported feeling significantly more comfo rtable discussing substance use with their parents than discussing sex ; they also reported that it is easier to say ''no'' to alcohol or mar ijuana than to resist pressures to have sex. Furthermore, these young adolescents believed that their parents would be less upset to discove r that they were sexually active than to find out they were using drug s. Among students who had ever had sex and who had ever used alcohol, young adolescents indicated that their parents would be much less upse t to find out they were having sex than to discovery they were smoking , drinking alcohol, or using drugs. Implications of the findings for H IV/AIDS prevention efforts are discussed.