The cost of minority stress: Risky alcohol use and coping-motivated drinking behavior in African American college students

Racism and alcohol-related problems among Black adults: The role of negative emotionality to experiencing racism

INTRODUCTION

Although Black Americans tend to consume less alcohol than non-Hispanic/Latine White Americans, Black Americans who do drink alcohol appear at especially high risk for negative alcohol-related problems. This alcohol-based health disparity indicates a need to identify psycho-sociocultural factors that may play a role in drinking and related problems to inform prevention and treatment efforts. Minority stress-based models posit that stressors such as racism increase negative emotions, which may be associated with using substances such as alcohol to cope with negative emotions. Yet, little research has directly assessed emotional reactions to racism and whether it plays a role in drinking-related behaviors.

METHOD

Participants were 164 Black American undergraduates at a racially/ethnically diverse university who endorsed current alcohol use 18-48 (M = 21.7, SD = 4.3). Participants completed an online survey regarding their experiences with racism and alcohol-related behaviors.

RESULTS

Experiencing more frequent racism was related to greater negative emotions experienced in response to racism (i.e., negative emotional reactivity to racism) and alcohol-related problems. More frequent racism was related to more alcohol-related problems via the sequential effects of negative emotional reactivity to racism and coping motivated drinking.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that the experience of negative emotions that occur after experiencing racism and attempts to cope with those negative emotions by consuming alcohol play important roles in drinking behaviors among Black Americans.

Psychological distress and alcohol use disorder in college students of color: Social support's moderating properties

Alcohol use is prevalent among college students. Research has found that psychological distress in the form of depression, anxiety, or loneliness has been consistently associated with greater alcohol use. Because Students of Color (SoC) disproportionately experience greater psychological distress than White students, it is critical to determine buffers against psychological distress and subsequent alcohol use consequences. Previous literature found that social support can protect against the effects of psychological distress and weaken its link with alcohol use. This study aimed to determine the moderating effect of social support in the relation between psychological distress and alcohol use among SoC. College Students of Color from across the U.S. (n = 211, Mage = 27.51, SD = 9.63) were recruited via Prolific to answer an online survey through Qualtrics. Linear regression analyses showed that psychological distress variables (i.e., depression, anxiety, and loneliness) were positively associated with alcohol use. However, moderation analysis did not find any form of social support to moderate the relation between psychological distress variables and alcohol use. Future research needs to identify other protective factors against alcohol use to support SoC in their academic journey.

Examining the Risks of Multiple Types of Interpersonal Victimization for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming College Students

Recent research has shown that transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals are at risk of experiencing interpersonal violence, yet there may be differences within this group and across victimization types. The current study examined rates of seven types of interpersonal victimization based on six gender identities (cisgender women, cisgender men, trans women, trans men, nonbinary, and another identity) among a national study of college students. Data from the Spring 2021 American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment III (ACHA-NCHA III), a national-level study of U.S. college students, were used. We examined the association between gender identity and seven types of interpersonal violence victimization (violent victimization, sexual victimization, intimate partner violence victimization, stalking, bullying, microaggression, and discrimination) that occurred within the past 12 months. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine if, when controlling for competing factors, gender identity was associated with an increase in the expected odds of victimization for each victimization type. Analyses revealed that TGNC college students reported experiencing a greater amount of all seven types of victimization compared to cisgender college students. These findings corroborate previous research indicating that rates of interpersonal violence are higher among TGNC college students compared to those who identify as cisgender, even after controlling for sexual orientation, related demographic factors, and substance use. Findings from the current study suggest that there are differences within individuals who identify as TGNC in terms of their risk for interpersonal victimization and that rates differ across victimization types. More work is needed to provide tailored prevention programming for TGNC college students.

Understanding alcohol use and alcohol use disorders from a developmental psychopathology perspective: Research advances, challenges, and future directions

As part of the special issue of Development and Psychopathology honoring the remarkable contributions of Dr Dante Cicchetti, the current paper attempts to describe the recent contributions that a developmental psychopathology perspective has made in understanding the development of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems over the lifespan. The paper also identifies some of the future challenges and research directions. Because the scope of this task far exceeds the confines of a journal length article this paper does not attempt a comprehensive review. Rather, it builds on an earlier review and commentary that was published in Development and Psychopathology in 2013, with a similar goal.)Building on that work and updating its conclusions and suggestions for future directions, the current paper emphasizes findings from the research areas that were identified for further study in 2013 and the findings that have been published since that time.

Microaggressions, perceptions of campus climate, mental health, and alcohol use among first-year college students of color

Depressive and anxiety symptoms are increasingly common, and problematic alcohol use remains prevalent in college. To expand on prior research on mostly white samples, we surveyed first-year students of color from our predominately white university (Southeastern US) to identify risk factors for mental health symptoms and potentially co-occurring problematic alcohol use. Results showed significant associations between microaggressions and poor campus climate (hypothetical predictors) with depressive, anxiety, somatic symptoms (hypothetical outcomes) that were indirectly linked through perceived stress, poor sleep, and academic burnout (hypothetical mediators). Poor campus climate, academic burnout, and using alcohol to cope were the most relevant to alcohol use disorder symptoms. Results support efforts to address and reduce racial microaggressions and promote a positive campus climate for all.

Disparities in preconception health indicators in U.S. women: a cross-sectional analysis of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system 2019

OBJECTIVES

Optimized preconception care improves birth outcomes and women's health. Yet, little research exists identifying inequities impacting preconception health. This study identifies age, race/ethnicity, education, urbanicity, and income inequities in preconception health.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This study included women aged 18-49 years who (1) reported they were not using any type of contraceptive measure during their last sexual encounter (usage of condoms, birth control, etc.) and (2) reported wanting to become pregnant from the BRFSS Family Planning module. Sociodemographic variables included age, race/ethnicity, education, urbanicity, and annual household income. Preconception health indicators were subdivided into three categories of Physical/Mental Health, Healthcare Access, and Behavioral Health. Chi-squared statistical analysis was utilized to identify sociodemographic inequities in preconception health indicators.

RESULTS

Within the Physical/Mental Health category, we found statistically significant differences among depressive disorder, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In the Healthcare Access category, we found statistically significant differences in health insurance status, having a primary care doctor, and being able to afford a medical visit. Within the Behavioral Health category, we found statistically significant differences in smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, exercising in the past 30 days, and fruit and vegetable consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal mortality and poor maternal health outcomes are influenced by many factors. Further research efforts to identify contributing factors will improve the implementation of targeted preventative measures in directly affected populations to alleviate the current maternal health crisis.

Exploring the promotive pathway between ethnic-racial identity, depression and anxiety symptoms, and substance use among African American emerging adults

OBJECTIVE

Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) has been shown to have a promotive effect on substance use; however, the factors impacting this relationship have been explored less. The present study examined whether a promotive pathway exists between ERI, depression and anxiety symptoms, and problem substance use (i.e., alcohol and cannabis use) among a sample of African American emerging adults.

METHOD

Participants were 388 African American or Black emerging adults aged 18-24 (M = 20.6), mostly female (62%) attending a Midwestern university or residing in the neighboring community. Data on demographics, ERI based on a total score and affirmation and exploration subscales, depression and anxiety symptoms, and problem alcohol and cannabis use were collected. The PROCESS macro for simple mediation was conducted to examine the role of depression and anxiety symptoms in the relationship between ERI and problem alcohol and cannabis use.

RESULTS

A significant indirect effect was found for the pathway between ERI, depression and anxiety symptoms, and each substance use outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Among African American emerging adults, ERI may reduce the risk for problem alcohol and cannabis use through reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, implementation of substance use interventions that strengthen ERI may be particularly beneficial to reduce risk, as well as promote psychological well-being among African American emerging adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Preliminary Effects of a Guided Self-Change Intervention on Perceived Risk and Self-Efficacy in University Students Engaging in Cannabis or Alcohol Misuse

Guided Self-Change (GSC) is a Motivational Interviewing (MI)-based early intervention program, infused with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for individuals with substance use problems. In this study, we implemented a 4-session GSC program with the innovative addition of mindfulness-based techniques at a minority-serving institution to reduce substance use and negative consequences among self-referred university students. We investigated processes that may be associated with behavior change, including perceived risk of use and self-efficacy ratings among university students who reported their primary substance of choice was cannabis (n = 18) or alcohol (n = 18). The sample of 36 participants (Mage = 24.4, SDage = 5, range 18-37) mostly identified as female (58.3%), then male (41.7%); 52.8% identified as Hispanic/Latine, 22.2% as Black or African American, and 19.5% as a sexual minority. Among cannabis primary using students, results indicated that the perceived risk of weekly cannabis use, confidence to change, and readiness to change showed statistically significant increases from pre- to post-assessment. Among alcohol primary using students, confidence to change and readiness to change showed statistically significant increases from pre- to post-assessments. All results yielded large effect sizes, which may be inflated due to the small sample size. Findings suggest that over the course of participation in a brief, 4-session targeted GSC program, there were significant increases in perceived risk and self-efficacy among minority university students who engage in primary cannabis or primary alcohol use.

The Robust Relation of Microaggressions with Alcohol-Related Problems Among Black Individuals Who Use Alcohol: the Role of Drinking to Cope with Negative Affect

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use is an important area of health disparities among Black individuals in the United States (US). The identification of psycho-sociocultural factors that play a role in alcohol-related problems among this population can inform culturally sensitive prevention and treatment efforts. Psycho-sociocultural models of alcohol misuse posit that some Black Americans may drink (and continue to drink despite drinking-related problems) to alleviate negative affect associated with experiencing race-based discrimination. Although there is a strong link between overt race-based discrimination and drinking outcomes, little research has tested whether more common, everyday race-based discrimination (microaggressions) is related and whether this association is attributable, in part, to drinking to cope with negative affect.

METHODS

Participants were 365 Black undergraduate current individuals who use alcohol who completed an online survey.

RESULTS

Microaggressions were significantly, positively correlated with alcohol-related problems, even after controlling for drinking, overt discrimination, non-racist life stressors, and relevant demographic variables. Microaggressions were indirectly related to alcohol-related problems via drinking to cope with negative affect (depression, anxiety).

CONCLUSIONS

Microaggressions are robustly associated with alcohol-related problems even after accounting for variance attributable to more overt discrimination and non-racist stressors among Black adults. Consistent with minority stress models, this relation may be due in part to drinking to cope with negative affect (depression, anxiety).

Parental drinking and observations of parent-child problem-solving discussions: Do drinking motives matter?

Alcohol is often used for emotion-regulation purposes, yet there has been little research on how emotion-regulation drinking motives relate to parenting. The present study addresses this gap by investigating possible interactions between parent drinking and drinking motives in the prediction of parenting and child affectivity during a problem-solving interaction. Participants included 199 two-parent families with a child between the ages of 6 and 12 years. Mothers and fathers self-reported their drinking and drinking motivations, and each parent separately took part in a 5-min parent-child problem-solving discussion about a topic that the parent identified as a frequent source of conflict. These discussions were later coded for parent rejection and coercion and child positive and negative affectivity. Father enhancement motives were independently related to father harsh parenting and indirectly related to lower child positive affect and greater child negative affect. Mother drinking to regulate positive and negative emotions interacted with mother drinking in association with mother harsh parenting, father harsh parenting, and child positive and negative affect during father-child interactions. Although the pattern of these interactions differed, the combination of mother greater drinking and coping or enhancement motives tended to have higher harsh parenting, child positive affect, and child negative affect. These findings indicate that parents' emotion-regulation motives for drinking warrant greater attention from researchers to understand the impact of parent drinking on parenting and emotional development of children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining a Race-Sex Interaction Effect on Binge Drinking Among Afro-Latina/o Adults in the US

Latinx/es are often racially homogenized in alcohol use disparities research, leaving the behavioral and mental health status of Afro-Latinx/es unknown. Though Latina/o and Black adults consume less alcohol than non-Latina/o Whites, they may binge drink to cope with discrimination. Gendered racism uniquely and negatively affects Black women's psychological well-being and may increase their chances of engaging in risky drinking. This may be the case for Afro-Latina women, but no study has disaggregated alcohol use disparity outcomes among a nationally representative sample of Latina/o adults by race and sex. This study (1) examines the relationship between racial self-classification (White-Latina/os vs. Afro-Latina/os) and binge drinking in the past year and (2) tests whether sex (male vs. female) moderates the relationship between race and binge drinking. Secondary data that included a respondent sample of 9415 Latina/o adults was obtained and analyzed from the 2013-2018 National Health Interview Survey. Multivariate analyses included logistic regression models to assess the main effects of race, sex, and interaction effect of the two on binge drinking while controlling for sociodemographic variables. The probability of Afro-Latina/o adults binge drinking trends lower than White-Latina/os. Respondents' sex moderated the association between racial self-classification and binge drinking. We discuss racial identity salience, mujerismo, and gendered racism as possible protective and risk factors for Afro-Latina/os and Afro-Latina women to contextualize these findings.

Patterns of alcohol use among middle school students in rural communities: Associations with community violence exposure

Stress-coping theory posits that exposure to stressors, such as community violence, increases risk for early alcohol initiation. The current study identified patterns of alcohol use in an ethnically diverse sample of early adolescents in rural communities, and examined relations between different forms of exposure to community violence and severity of adolescents' alcohol use patterns. Participants were 5011 middle school students (46.4% non-Hispanic White, 25.5% Latinx, and 13.4% Black; 50% female) living in rural communities in the southeastern United States. Latent class analysis identified subgroups that differed in their patterns of lifetime and past 30-day alcohol use, and subgroup differences in exposure to community violence. Five subgroups were identified: abstainers (56.5%), initiators of wine and beer (12.5%); moderately frequent wine and beer users (10.3%); moderately frequent wine, beer, and liquor users who got drunk (12.0%); and highly frequent wine, beer, and liquor users who got drunk (8.6%). Subgroups differed across sex, grade, and racial-ethnic background. Subgroups characterized by severe alcohol use reported more frequent exposure to community violence and physical victimization, while controlling for nonviolent stressors. Consistent with stress-coping theory, the results indicate that experiencing physical victimization and witnessing community violence robustly relate to adolescents' high-risk alcohol use.

Self-care behaviors, drinking, and smoking to cope with psychological distress during COVID-19 among Chinese college students: the role of resilience

OBJECTIVE

College students are vulnerable to psychological distress during COVID-19 due to pandemic-related stressors. In response to psychological distress, college students engage in various coping behaviors, such as self-care behaviors and substance use. The transactional model of stress and coping depicts a cognitive appraisal process in the stress-coping association. Psychological resilience is an essential factor for the cognitive appraisal. This study aimed to investigate the mediation effects of resilience on psycho-behavioral health in response to COVID-19 stressors.

DESIGN

Longitudinal data were collected from 1,225 Chinese college students via web-based anonymous surveys at wave 1 (T1, between Jan 31 and Feb 11, 2020) and wave 2 (T2, between Mar 20 and Apr 3, 2020).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Participants reported their COVID-19 stressors (T1), resilience (T1), psychological distress (depression and anxiety; T2), and coping behaviors (self-care behaviors, drinking, and smoking; T2). Path analysis was used for data analyses.

RESULTS

Resilience mediated the association between COVID-19 stressors and psychological distress. Resilience together with psychological distress mediated the association of COVID-19 stressors with self-care behaviors or drinking.

CONCLUSIONS

Resilience appears to offer protection that promotes psycho-behavioral health in college students in the face of COVID-19 stressors. Interventions for college students should attend to resilience.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Alcohol Use among Black College Students: Examining the Mediating Roles of Depression and Coping Drinking Motives

Background: Over the past two decades, research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to adult health-risk behaviors such as excessive alcohol use. Yet, few have investigated health-risk behaviors among Black college students. Research suggests that Black college students are at lower risk for hazardous drinking patterns, yet ACEs appear to alter the drinking patterns of Black students. Other studies have also shown depressive symptoms and coping-motivated drinking to predict greater alcohol consumption for this ethnic group. Objective: The current study investigated the relationship between ACEs and hazardous patterns of drinking, including frequency of alcohol use, binge, and heavy drinking episodes, using a sample of 282 Black students attending a historically black college/university (HBCU). Results: Depressive symptoms and coping drinking motives were tested as serial mediators between ACEs and the three drinking patterns. Results revealed a significant indirect effect of ACEs on the frequency of alcohol use, binge, and heavy drinking episodes, through depressive symptoms and coping drinking motives. Depressive symptoms also independently mediated the relationship between ACEs and heavy drinking episodes. Conclusion: The finding suggested that drinking perhaps serves as a maladaptive coping strategy to address underlying early life stress and depression for Black students.

Racial trauma as a risk factor for risky alcohol use in diverse college students

Exposure to potentially traumatic race-based experiences poses a risk factor for risky drinking among college students from historically marginalized racial/ethnic backgrounds. Objective: The current study examined the relationship between both the level (severity) and pattern of race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) reactions and risky drinking. Participants: The current study sample was made up of 62 male (23.5%) and 202 female (76.5%) Latino/a/x, Black, and Asian college students attending a minority-serving institution. Methods: Study participants were asked to participate in an anonymous online survey. Results: A criterion profile analysis revealed that higher scores on RBTS reactions overall, and elevated scores on RBTS - avoidance, low self-esteem, and anger, specifically, were indicative of more risky drinking. Conclusions: These findings highlight a distinct pattern of RBTS scores that may predict a vulnerability to risky drinking and underscore the importance of racial trauma healing in alcohol use prevention and intervention efforts.

"Could Be Even Worse in College": Social Factors, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men on a College Campus

Understanding mental health risks among Black men is a step forward in reducing health and educational disparities that are persistent in today's society. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 20 Black male undergraduate students from a college campus in the Southeast. The aim was to identify and understand the social and contextual factors impacting their risk of experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms. A thematic analysis, theoretically grounded in the social-ecological model (SEM), was conducted, revealing three overarching themes: 1) what is known or felt about mental health 2) causes of stressors and 3) signs as symptoms. Discussions with men offered insight into their perspectives and personal experiences related to mental health issues and perceived risk factors. Themes suggest that the college transition, academic workload, perceived financial distress, and their desire and need to conform to ideals of masculinity were significant risk factors and stressors. Men offered descriptions of specific symptoms and health behaviors associated with such stress, including social isolation, anger, irritability, and changes in their own personal behaviors. Key findings paint a picture of college mental health experiences for some Black male college students. Moving forward, more research is needed to expand on this study's findings and improve mental health risk among this underserved population. Future directions are discussed alongside the results presented in this paper.

Activity Space Assessments to Investigate Neighborhood Exposure to Racism-Related Stress and Related Substance Use Among Young Black Men: Connecticut, 2019

Objectives. To use activity space assessments to investigate neighborhood exposures that may heighten young Black men's vulnerability to substance use and misuse. Methods. We surveyed young Black men in New Haven, Connecticut in 2019 on the locations (activity spaces) they traveled to in a typical week and their experiences of racism and any alcohol and cannabis use at each location. Results. A total of 112 young Black men (mean age = 23.57 years; SD = 3.20) identified 583 activity spaces. There was significant overlap between racism-related events and substance use (alcohol and cannabis use) at specific locations. Areas with a higher prevalence of violent crime also had a greater frequency of racism-related events and substance use. Conclusions. An activity space approach is a promising method for integrating objective and subjective experiences within neighborhood contexts to better understand the frequency and co-occurrence of racism-related stress and substance use among young Black men. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(S2):S136-S139. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307254).

The COVID-19, racism, and violence syndemic: Evidence from a qualitative study with Black residents of Chicago

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the United States in the shadows of a vast history of structural racism and community and police violence that disproportionately affect Black communities. Collectively, they have created a syndemic, wherein COVID-19, racism, and violence are mutually reinforcing to produce adverse health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to understand the COVID-19, racism, and violence syndemic and examine how structural racism and violence contributed to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black communities. In early 2021, we conducted phenomenological qualitative interviews with 50 Black residents of Chicago. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. We identified four primary themes in our analyses: 1) the intersection of racism and violence in Chicago; 2) longstanding inequities were laid bare by COVID-19; 3) the pervasiveness of racism and violence contributes to poor mental health; 4) and COVID-19, racism and violence emerged as a syndemic. Our findings underscore the importance of addressing social and structural factors in remediating the health and social consequences brought about by COVID-19.

Resilience and Its Limits: The Roles of Individual Resilience, Social Capital, Racial Discrimination, and Binge Drinking on Sexual Behavior Among Black Heterosexual Men

In response to the increased recognition of racism as a public health crisis, we assessed links between racial discrimination and HIV-related risk behavior for Black men. Specifically, using survey data from 530 Black heterosexual men (18-44 years old, M = 31.0, SD = 7.8), we tested two moderated-mediation models: (1) a protective model, in which resilience and social capital protected against the indirect effect of racial discrimination on alcohol-related sexual behavior via binge drinking, and (2) a bounded model, in which racial discrimination limited the indirect effects of resilience and social capital on alcohol-related sexual behavior via binge drinking. We found support for the bounded model only. Specifically, resilience was indirectly associated with decreased alcohol-related sexual behavior via lower binge drinking when racial discrimination was low to moderately high, but not when racial discrimination was at its highest levels. Resilience was not directly associated with alcohol-related sexual behavior. Social capital was directly related to lower odds of alcohol-related sexual behavior. At high levels of racial discrimination, however, social capital was indirectly related to increased alcohol-related sexual behavior via binge drinking. High levels of racial discrimination limit beneficial effects of resilience on alcohol-related sexual behavior. Social capital maintains a beneficial effect if social bonds are not associated with binge-drinking norms or behaviors. Results highlight the limitations of individual-level resilience and the need to conceptualize and support resilience as a social-structural resource.

Profiles of online racism exposure and mental health among Asian, Black, and Latinx emerging adults in the United States

Online racism is a digital social determinant to health inequity and an acute and widespread public health problem. To explore the heterogeneity of online racism exposure within and across race, we latent class modelled this construct among Asian (n = 310), Black (n = 306), and Latinx (n = 163) emerging adults in the United States and analysed key demographic and psychosocial health correlates. We observed Low and Mediated Exposure classes across all racial groups, whereas High Exposure classes appeared among Asian and Black people and the Systemic Exposure classes emerged uniquely in Asian and Latinx people. Generally, the High Exposure classes reported the greatest psychological distress and unjust views of society compared to all other classes. The Mediated and Systemic Exposure classes reported greater mental health costs than the Low Exposure classes. Asian women were more likely to be in the Mediated Exposure class compared to the Low Exposure class, whereas Black women were more likely to be in the Mediated Exposure class compared to both High and Low Exposure classes. About a third of each racial group belonged to the Low Exposure classes. Our findings highlight the multidimensionality of online racism exposure and identify hidden yet divergently risky subgroups. Research implications include examination of class membership chronicity and change over time, online exposure to intersecting oppressions, and additional antecedents and health consequences of diverse forms of online racism exposure.

Social Anxiety and Alcohol Use and Related Problems among Black Adults: Differential Roles of Motives by Sex

Background: Black individuals who consume alcohol are at risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems. Psycho-sociocultural models of substance use posit that these individuals may continue to drink despite alcohol-related problems to cope with psychological distress. Emerging data indicate that social anxiety is one type of distress that may play an important role in drinking behavior among Black adults. Objectives: Yet despite evidence that drinking to cope varies as a function of sex among predominantly White samples, this is the first known study to test whether socially anxious Black women are similarly at risk for coping motivated drinking and its negative sequelae. Participants were 257 (75% female) Black undergraduates endorsing current alcohol use. Results: Among women and men, social anxiety was significantly related to more alcoholrelated problems and coping-depression and conformity motives. Among women (but not men), social anxiety was also significantly related to more coping-anxiety and greater typical drinking. Serial mediation analyses among women indicated that social anxiety was indirectly related to more alcohol problems via the serial effect of each of the relevant drinking motives (copinganxiety, coping-depression, conformity) and drinking frequency. Among men, social anxiety was indirectly related to alcohol problems via coping-depression and conformity motives. Conclusions/Importance: Findings highlight the importance of considering sex in research on psychosocial vulnerability factors associated with alcohol-related problems among Black adults.

Online racism, depressive and anxiety symptoms, coping-related drinking motives, and alcohol use severity among Black, Latina/o/x, and Asian emerging adults

Online racism has been associated with alcohol-related coping, likely to deal with mental health symptoms that arise from experiencing racial discrimination in online settings. Thus, we examined online racism as a risk factor for alcohol-related problems by examining depressive/anxiety symptoms and coping-related drinking motives as mediators among Black, Latina/o/x, and Asian emerging adults in the U.S. We hypothesized that online racism would be associated with greater alcohol use severity through depressive/anxiety symptoms and coping-related drinking motives sequentially. With data from 322 participants (Mage = 23.28; Black, n = 108; Latina/o/x, n = 118; and Asian, n = 96), we conducted a multi-group path analysis of online racism (Perceived Online Racism Scale) linked to alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) via depressive (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)/Anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) symptoms and coping-related drinking motives (Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised Short Form). The hypothesized indirect pathway was significant in all groups. The direct effect was also significant for Latina/o/x and Asian groups. For the Black group, the direct effect was not significant, highlighting the salience of the mental health symptoms and drinking motives in explaining the link between online racism and alcohol use. Collectively, the results help to contextualize the risks of alcohol-related problems from experiencing contemporary forms of racial trauma such as online racial discrimination and provide implications for intervention development.

Posttraumatic Stress, Alcohol Use, and Alcohol Use Motives among Non-Hispanic Black/African American College Students: The Role of Emotion Regulation

OBJECTIVE

The associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, alcohol use, and alcohol use motives are well-established. Emotion regulation difficulties have been implicated in the association between PTSD symptoms and alcohol use. A dearth of empirical work, however, has examined these associations among Black/African American college students, a population with high prevalence of exposure to potentially traumatic events, PTSD symptomatology, and alcohol-related consequences.

METHODS

This study examined PTSD symptoms, emotion regulation difficulties, and alcohol use severity and motives among a sample of Black/African American trauma-exposed college students (N = 282; 77.4% identified as female; M age = 22.36, SD = 4.71).

RESULTS

PTSD symptom severity was related to alcohol use and coping and conformity motives for alcohol use through heightened emotion regulation difficulties. Findings were significant above and beyond the effects of trauma load (i.e., number of potentially traumatic event types experienced).

CONCLUSIONS

This study extends past work to an understudied population and contributes to groundwork for culturally informed interventions.

Examination of cross-group contact at work and school in relation to acute and retrospective discrimination experiences and drinking to cope for Black and White young adult drinkers

Black drinkers experience more alcohol problems compared to White drinkers at comparable levels of alcohol use (Mulia et al., 2009; Witbrodt et al., 2014; Zapolski et al., 2014). Research has found that Black compared to White drinkers endorse drinking to cope more frequently via retrospective report (Bradizza et al., 1999; Cooper et al., 2008). Additional research is needed to understand contributors to these racial differences. The primary aim of the present study was to examine how quality and frequency of cross-group contact at work and/or school relates to experiencing discrimination and, in turn, drinking to cope. Seventy-two young adult drinkers (Mage = 25, 72% female, 28% male; 64% Black, 36% White) completed baseline questionnaires and a subset (n = 50) completed a 17-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. Cross-group contact frequency and quality was assessed at baseline while discrimination and coping motives were assessed via retrospective report at baseline and acutely via EMA. Accounting for sociodemographic covariates, path analyses utilizing retrospective measures revealed a significant indirect pathway from race to coping motives through quality of work/school cross-group contact and discrimination experiences related to assumptions of inferiority. Identical path analyses utilizing the acute EMA data revealed a significant indirect pathway from race to coping motives through quality of work/school cross-group contact. Improving cross-group contact at work and school may reduce drinking to cope. Additional research examining multiple domains of discrimination, quality of cross-group contact, and alcohol problems over time is needed to further understanding of social determinants of health inequities in alcohol problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Pathways linking ethnic discrimination and drug-using peer affiliation to underage drinking status among Mexican-origin adolescents

Using a three-wave longitudinal data set of Mexican-origin adolescents (N = 602, Mage = 12.92, SD = 0.91 at Wave 1), this study examines parallel pathways from early exposure to ethnic discrimination and drug-using peers, separately, to underage drinking status by late adolescence. Negative affect was expected to mediate the link from ethnic discrimination to underage drinking status (the stress-induced pathway), whereas social alcohol expectancy was expected to mediate the link from drug-using peers to underage drinking status (the socialization pathway). Our findings lend support to the stress-induced pathway while controlling for the socialization pathway. For the stress-induced pathway, we found that early ethnic discrimination experiences were related to higher likelihood of having engaged in underage drinking by late adolescence through elevated negative affect sustained across adolescence. For the socialization pathway, we found no association between affiliation with drug-using peers in early adolescence and underage drinking status, either directly or indirectly. Present findings highlight the unique role of early ethnic discrimination experiences in underage drinking among Mexican-origin adolescents, over and above the effect of drug-using peers. Alcohol use interventions targeting ethnic minority adolescents should account for adolescents' ethnic discrimination experiences by helping adolescents develop adaptive coping strategies to handle negative affect induced by discrimination (e.g., reappraisal) rather than using alcohol to self-medicate. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Ethnic-racial identity and hazardous drinking among black drinkers: A test of the minority stress model

Black Americans who consume alcohol experience negative alcohol-related outcomes, indicating a need to identify psycho-sociocultural factors that may play a role in drinking and related problems to inform prevention and treatment. Although lower levels of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) are related to negative drinking outcomes, this is the first known test of whether psychological distress and drinking to cope with distress play a role in these relations. Participants were 155 Black current drinking undergraduates at a racially/ethnically diverse university. ERI was significantly, negatively correlated with drinking frequency, drinking problems, coping motivated drinking, depression, and social anxiety. ERI was unrelated to drinking quantity. ERI was indirectly related to drinking and related problems via the sequential effects of depression and coping motivated drinking, but not via depression or coping motives alone. ERI was indirectly related to drinking via the sequential effects of social anxiety and coping motivated drinking, and indirectly related to drinking problems via social anxiety but not via coping motives alone. In line with minority stress-based models, ERI is related to less negative drinking outcomes (less frequent drinking, fewer problems) via less psychological distress (depression, social anxiety) and less coping motivated drinking. Also, social anxiety was robustly related to drinking frequency and problems among Black drinkers, a group that has been underrepresented in the social anxiety-drinking literature. This finding indicates that anxiety about social situations may play an especially important role in drinking behaviors in this group.

Food Insecurity among Adolescent Students from 95 Countries Is Associated with Diet, Behavior, and Health, and Associations Differ by Student Age and Sex

Background

Adolescents' developmental tasks and challenges vary based on age, sex, and social context. Food insecurity affects adolescents, but existing research has been limited to a few country contexts and has treated adolescence as a singular developmental moment with limited consideration of potential differences in how food insecurity relates to developmental experiences based on adolescent age and sex.

Objectives

We aimed to describe relations between student-reported food insecurity and students' profiles of nutritional, physical activity, school absenteeism, health/mental health, and victimization experiences, and how these differ by student age and sex.

Methods

Using cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey, we examined adolescent reports of their food security among 337,738 students 11-18 y old from 95 countries. We identified their profiles of focal experiences, and used mixed-effects linear and logistic regression models to examine differences in these profiles by student food insecurity and how these differ by student age and sex.

Results

Of students, 25.5% aged 11-14 y compared with 30% aged 15-18 y reported food insecurity in the past 30 d. Food insecurity was associated with less frequent fruit and vegetable intake; more frequent soft drink intake; worse mental health; less physical activity; more missed school; higher odds of smoking, drinking, and using drugs; and more bullying victimization and sexual partners. Food insecurity was associated with reduced age- and sex-specific protection: greater substance use among younger adolescents, more sexual partners among older females, and greater worry among younger males. Food insecurity was also associated with increased age-specific risk: greater soft drink consumption among younger adolescents.

Conclusions

Across countries, adolescent food insecurity was associated with poorer nutritional, mental health, behavioral, and relationship profiles; these associations differed with student age and sex. Food insecurity interventions should attend to adolescent developmental stage and the gendered contexts through which adolescents navigate daily life.

The role of resilience in alcohol use, drinking motives, and alcohol-related consequences among Hispanic college students

Background: Hispanic college students experience minority stressors and are therefore at greater risk of experiencing alcohol-related consequences. Resilience may protect against problem drinking and related consequences, yet its relationship to drinking motives remains unexplored. Given that drinking motives precede both alcohol use and its consequences, investigating the role of resilience in such associations may inform interventions to reduce alcohol-related health disparities.Objectives: The current study investigated whether greater resilience predicted fewer drinking motives, lower alcohol consumption, and reduced the negative impact of drinking motives on alcohol consequences among Hispanic college students.Methods: Resilience, drinking motives and alcohol consequences were assessed among 443 students living on the U.S./Mexico border recruited via e-mail (68% female; M_age = 22.6 years, SD = 5.09). Linear regressions assessed whether drinking motives (i.e., coping, conformity, social, enhancement) and resilience predicted alcohol consumption. A linear regression also assessed resilience, drinking motives, and alcohol consumption as potential predictors of alcohol consequences. Lastly, linear regressions tested the moderating effects of resilience between each drinking motive and alcohol consumption as well as alcohol consequences.Results: Greater resilience predicted fewer alcohol-related consequences (β = -.024, p = .028). Additionally, resilience moderated the relationships social (β = -.095, p = .050) and enhancement drinking motives (β = -.084, p = .050) had with alcohol consequences. Higher social and enhancement motives were not associated with alcohol consequences among resilient individuals.Conclusion: Strengthening resilience among Hispanic students whose drinking is motivated by a desire for socialization or mood enhancement may protect against alcohol-related consequences.

Racial Discrimination and Trajectories of Problematic Alcohol Use Among African American Emerging Adults: The Role of Organizational Religious Involvement

Racial discrimination jeopardizes a wide range of health behaviors for African Americans. Numerous studies demonstrate significant negative associations between racial discrimination and problematic alcohol use among African Americans. Culturally specific contexts (e.g., organized religious involvement) often function protectively against racial discrimination's adverse effects for many African Americans. Yet organized religious involvement may affect the degree to which racial discrimination increases problematic alcohol use resulting in various alcohol use trajectories. These links remain understudied in emerging adulthood marked by when individuals transition from adolescence to early adult roles and responsibilities. We use data from 496 African American emerging adults from the Flint Adolescent Study (FAS) to (a) identify multiple and distinct alcohol use trajectories and (b) examine organizational religious involvement's protective role. Three trajectory classes were identified: the high/stable, (20.76% of sample; n = 103); moderate/stable, (39.52% of sample; n = 196); and low/rising, (39.72% of the sample; n = 197). After controlling for sex, educational attainment, and general stress, the interaction between racial discrimination and organized religious involvement did not influence the likelihood of classifying into the moderate/stable class or the low/rising class, compared with the high/stable class. These results suggest organized religious involvement counteracts, but does not buffer racial discrimination's effects on problematic alcohol use. Findings emphasize the critical need for culturally sensitive prevention efforts incorporating organized religious involvement for African American emerging adults exposed to racial discrimination. These prevention efforts may lessen the role of racial discrimination on health disparities related to alcohol use.

Racial Discrimination and Hazardous Drinking among Black Drinkers: The Role of Social Anxiety in the Minority Stress Model

Objective: Black Americans who consume alcohol experience worse alcohol-related outcomes. Thus, identifying psycho-sociocultural factors that play a role in hazardous drinking among Black individuals is vital to informing prevention and treatment efforts to reduce these disparities. Racial discrimination is related to hazardous drinking among Black adults, suggesting that some may drink (and continue to drink despite drinking-related problems) to alleviate negative affect (e.g., depression, anxiety) associated with discrimination. Yet, despite the social nature of both racial discrimination and drinking, no known research has examined the role of social anxiety in the relations among racial discrimination experiences and hazardous drinking. Method: Participants were 164 Black current drinking undergraduates. Results: Racial discrimination was significantly, positively correlated with hazardous drinking, depression, and social anxiety. Discrimination was indirectly related to hazardous drinking via social anxiety, but not depression. Further, discrimination was indirectly related to hazardous drinking via social anxiety alone and via the sequential effects of social anxiety and drinking to cope, but not via coping motives alone. It was also related to hazardous drinking via the sequential effects of depression and drinking to cope but not depression alone. Alternative model testing indicated that social anxiety was not related to hazardous drinking via discrimination, strengthening confidence in directionality of proposed relations. Conclusions: Negative affect (social anxiety, depression) appears to be related to hazardous drinking among those who experience more discrimination due in part to drinking to cope. Social anxiety plays an important role in the relation between discrimination and hazardous drinking among Black adults.

The Influence of Distressed Coping on the Relationship between Perceived Racial Discrimination and Cannabis Use among Black College Students

Approximately one in five Black students report cannabis use, which is associated with academic challenges, mental health, and interpersonal problems. Understanding motivators to use cannabis among Black students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) warrants more research. Perceived racial discrimination (PRD), believing one is treated unjustly due to race, is related to substance use and variables associated with poor coping, such as depression and anxiety. Given that research is unavailable for Black college students on the factor structure of the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) using chronicity-based coding, the first aim of the study is to examine the factor structure of the chronicity-based version of the EDS. The second aim is to investigate whether distressed coping is an intervening construct between PRD and cannabis use among Black college students. Participants, recruited from a midwestern PWI (N = 119), completed the EDS, the coping subscale of the Comprehensive Marijuana Motivations Measure, and reported past-year cannabis use. Factor analysis examined the measurement model of the EDS, while path analysis assessed the mediation models. A two-factor model assessing subtle and blatant PRD on the EDS fit the data. The path analysis revealed that distressed coping fully mediated the relationship between subtle PRD and cannabis use. Distressed coping did not mediate the relation between blatant PRD and cannabis use. Institutions might focus on reducing PRD and provide support to Black students to lessen its link to distressed coping and cannabis use.

A longitudinal investigation of racial discrimination, distress intolerance, and psychological well-being in African American college students

There is robust evidence that racism negatively influences health outcomes for African American college students. However, few studies have longitudinally examined the underlying mechanisms related to the repercussions of racism.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal association between racial discrimination and psychological well-being (PWB), as well as the mediating role of distress intolerance.

METHOD

As part of a larger parent study, a sample of 105 African American first-year undergraduate students (mean age = 18.1) completed three surveys across 1 year. The RMediation program was used to test the indirect effect of racism on PWB through distress intolerance.

RESULTS

There was a significant positive indirect effect of racism on PWB through distress intolerance, such that increased racism was associated with increased distress intolerance, which was thus associated with decreased PWB.

CONCLUSIONS

Intervention efforts may be aimed at preventing racism for African American college students and providing clinical services that reduce distress intolerance.

Revisiting resilience: Examining the relationships between stress, social support, and drinking behavior among black college students with parental substance use disorder histories

The study examined the role social support plays in the relationship between life stress and problem alcohol use behavior in a sample of Black emerging adults in college with histories of parental substance use disorders (SUD). Participants were 1,007 Black emerging adult college students, recruited as part of a larger multi-wave, multisite, study investigating coping behavior among emerging adults in college. Findings suggest that Black college students with parental SUDs engage in riskier and coping motivated drinking behaviors more than those without such histories, and their alcohol use behaviors are more strongly linked to experiencing life stress, despite similar levels of perceived social support. Social support from friends and sufficient global social support help to mediate this adverse relationship. Parental SUD may serve as a readily identifiable risk factor for risky drinking behavior among Black college students. Implications for future research and clinical practice are presented.

Marijuana risk perceptions are associated with past-month marijuana use among Black first-year college students at a historically Black university

To examine the relationship between marijuana risk perceptions and marijuana use, and assess the potential moderating role of stress among Black students from a historically Black university, a convenience sample of students (n = 213) was surveyed. The majority (87.9%) of the sample was Black and 52% were female. Over a third (35.1%) reported past 30-day marijuana use, and a majority (58.4%) reported no or slight risk from using marijuana once or twice weekly. Higher marijuana risk perceptions were associated with lower odds of marijuana use (OR = .45, 95% CI [0.32, 0.64]). No significant relationship between stress and marijuana use was found. Perception of marijuana risk warrants further examination as a predictor of marijuana use.

Stress, stressors, and substance use: Differential risk for hookah use among African American college students

Using differential, multivariable risk models, we assessed the contribution of substance use and stress/traumatic events to hookah use among African American college students (n = 1,402) using data from the Fall 2012 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) II. Lifetime hookah use was 24.8%, with 34.2% of lifetime users having done so in the past 30 days. Compared to nonusers, hookah users had significantly higher use rates of alcohol, marijuana, other tobacco, and other drugs. Furthermore, hookah use was more likely among those with cumulative stress, yet less likely among older students. An implication is that prevention messages may need to be tailored for African American college students and particularly target younger students, substance users, and those with cumulative stress. These findings also inform policy discussions regarding hookah use on college campuses.

Examining the role of racism in the risky alcohol use behaviors of black female college students

OBJECTIVE

This study explores the impact racism has on the drinking behaviors of Black college women. Little is known about Black college women's experience of racism and the impact racism has on their psychological wellbeing and drinking behaviors. The current study fills a gap in our understanding of the role racism plays in the risky drinking behavior of Black college women.

PARTICIPANTS

469 Black college women ages 18-29 were sampled from 8 colleges and universities across the US, in 3 waves from December 2014-August 2017.

RESULTS

Findings suggest that general life stress and perceived racism are significantly associated with alcohol use among Black college women. However, only increased experiences of racism increase Black college women's engagement in risky drinking.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study serve as an entry point for a more nuanced assessment of stressors among Black college women that may inform drinking behaviors in this population.