Condom Use Trajectories in Adolescence and the Transition to Adulthood: The Role of Mother and Father Support

Few studies have investigated how mother and father support differ on predicting youths sexual risk behavior. We therefore examined the influence of parental support on condom use trajectories and its correlates in a predominantly African-American sample (N similar to=similar to 627; 53% female participants; M similar to=similar to 14.86 similar to years [SD similar to=similar to 0.64]) from adolescence to young adulthood. We used hierarchical growth curve modeling to examine the relationship between condom use, substance use, psychological distress, and parental support prospectively. We found that consistent condom use decreased over time and was associated negatively with psychological distress and substance use. Furthermore, both maternal and paternal support were associated with more condom use over time. We discuss the implications of our findings for HIV prevention programs.