Existing literature suggests that both parental style and religion have some significance as protective factors suggesting that there may be some mediating effect of religion on parental style variables. It is hypothesized that parental style would have a mediating effect on the relationship between religiosity and adolescent substance use. With the importance of religiosity in the lives of African-Americans, the effect of religion on parental monitoring and related constructs is in need of further exploration and could offer important information in alleviating drug issues. A sample of 2,317 African-American adolescents, living in metropolitan low-income areas were surveyed with an exploratory analysis conducted to determine if parental style was a mediator variable for religion and substance use. Results provide support for the mediating effect of the parental style variables between religion and substance use. The test dimensions of religiosity and parental style seem to indicate that religious attendance and importance of religion were the strongest of the religiosity variables while parental monitoring and existence of family rules had the greatest effect of the parental style dimensions. The study indicates that the relationship of religion on parenting style is important for the African-American community in understanding possible avenues for preventing adolescent substance use. References