Drinking perceptions and drinking behaviors among urban black adolescents

Purpose: To improve understanding of black (African American and Haitian Bl acks) adolescents' drinking behaviors and sexual patterns that put them at risk for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (H IV/AIDS) to determine whether specific cultural differences affect beliefs and behaviors about alcohol use. Methods: The study used ethnographic interviewing to provide information ab out the alcohol norms, beliefs, context, and behavior of African-American a nd Haitian adolescents. Ethnographic open-ended interviews were conducted w ith 314 students: 116 African American adolescents (50 boys and 66 girls) a nd 198 Haitian adolescents (93 boys and 105 girls) in inner-city public hig h schools. Results: The majority of adolescents had drunk alcohol, and African-America n boys and Haitian boys and girls were most likely to report general drinki ng experience. Both ethnic groups distinguished between negative and positi ve nonnormative behaviors resulting from drinking beyond and within the bou ndary of one's limits. African-American boys in particular described not dr inking beyond the boundary, to maintain control of their actions. Drinking within the boundary and feeling "relaxed" was endorsed by African American youths, as it was by Haitian youths who felt "normal" and/or viewed drinkin g certain alcoholic beverages as normative and culturally sanctioned. Conclusion: The study suggests there are cultural differences in the constr ucts of the meaning of drink and drinking that may influence alcohol use. U nderstanding these differences will improve efforts to impact the drinking behaviors of adolescents by recognizing the drinking socialization, normati ve drinking patterns, and culturally sanctioned drinking behaviors that may influence alcohol use in different ethnic groups. (C) Society for Adolesce nt Medicine, 1999.