Peer Normative Structuring of Sexualized Substance Use Among Youths in Niger State, Nigeria: A Mixed Methods Sociological Analysis

Sexualized substance use (SSU) among youths is a growing public health concern, yet normative social mechanisms structuring SSU within sexual contexts remain underexplored in sub Saharan Africa.This study examined how peer normative climates intersect with layered cultural and religious contexts to shape SSU among youths in Niger State, Nigeria. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed. Questionnaires were administered to 1,043 participants using multistage stratified sampling, while 15 in depth interviews explored peer validation, cultural interpretations of substances, and moral negotiations surrounding SSU. = 0.76); demographic covariates in the regression model were not significant predictors after accounting for peer climate. Performance oriented sexual perceptions did not exert significant independent effects after controlling for peer climate and socio demographics. SSU frequency was not significantly associated with any of the four risk behaviors examined multiple partnerships, condom use, compulsive sexual behavior, or unconventional practices following full verification of the SSU frequency data against the original questionnaires. The findings suggest that SSU among Nigerian youth is primarily structured by peer normative environments operating within layered cultural and moral contexts, rather than by individual pathology or sexual beliefs alone.