Risky behavior among Black Caribbean and Black African adolescents in England: How do they compare?

Abstract

Objectives. Black Caribbean and Black African adolescents in England face academic and social challenges that might predisposition them to engaging in more risky behavior. This study explored the growth trajectories of risky behavior among adolescents in England over 3 years (14/15, 15/16, and 16/17 years of age) to determine the extent to which ethnic groups differed.

Design. Data were taken from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England database (N = 15,770). This database contained eight different ethnic groups. Risky behavior was defined by an 8-item scale that represented three classes of risky behavior. Individual theta scores for risky behavior were calculated for individuals at each time point and modeled over time. Interaction terms between sex, year, ethnicity, and class were also examined.

Results. Findings confirmed previous research that showed ethnic group differences in means. They also demonstrated that there are differences in slopes as well, even after controlling for class. In fact, class appeared to have a reverse effect on the risky behavior of black adolescents. Further, Black adolescent groups were not engaging in higher levels of risky behavior as compared to white adolescents (the dominant population). In actuality, Mixed adolescents engaged in the highest levels of risky behavior which was a notable finding given that the Mixed group has recently began to receive a more focused attention by scholars and the government of England.

Conclusion. It is important that social workers and policy-makers recognize ethnicity in making general preventative decisions for adolescents. Second, class does not have a common effect on adolescent problem behaviors as often believed. Finally, black adolescents’ communities might contain important protective factors that ought to be extensively explored. Conversely, Mixed adolescents’ communities might contain more risk factors that ought to be addressed.

Keywords:

• risky behavior
• ethnic differences
• growth curves
• adolescents

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Key messages

1. Despite education and social risk factors within their environments, Black Caribbean and Black African adolescents in England engage in similar or lower levels of risky behavior as compared to white adolescents.

2. Black African adolescents engage in less risky behavior than Black Caribbean suggesting important protective factors within their communities.

3. Mixed adolescents engage in the highest levels of risky behaviors suggesting that their environments contain more risk factors that might be going by undetected.

4. Policy-makers ought to hone in on identifying these risk and protective factors specific to these ethnic minority groups to best support the psycho-social development of these adolescents.