OBJECTIVES: Risk and protective processes work together as an integrated developmental process and may affect target behaviors directly or indirectly, thus require an understanding of the multiple and interrelated processes contributing to behavioral outcomes. The purpose of this study was to model the ecodevelopmental chain of relationships associated with sexually transmitted disease (STDs) and HIV risk behaviors among African American (AA) adolescents. METHODS: Data used for this study comprised 1,619 AA adolescents with an average age of 16±1.8 years obtained from the first wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, followed by structural equation modeling to determine latent constructs that reflect the social-interactional components of ecodevelopmental theory using observed variables. Data analyses were conducted using Mplus software version 7.1. RESULTS: Findings indicate that the school domain and feeling of father’s love play significant roles in risky sexual behavior of AA adolescents. AA adolescents who reported having their father’s love and a strong bond with school personnel leaned towards better health status. Parents’ attitude towards use of birth control influenced their sexual behavior through direct pathway, mediated by gender and age of AA adolescents.  The key variables found to predict risky sexual behavior of AA adolescents include: knowing more people who contracted STDs, having more friends with adequate knowledge about condom use, being older in age, male and a sexual minority. These factors indicate that both peer’s influence and individual characteristics have significant impact on the risk of contracting STDs/HIV among AA adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that any intervention aimed at maximal protection against STD/HIV-related risk among AA adolescents should adopt both self- and context-based concepts, and strategies that promote positive functioning in the family, school, and peer microsystems. Mediational relationships noted in the present study allude to important hypotheses for future research.