Alcohol Use and Mental Health Conditions Among Black College Males: Do Those Attending Postsecondary Minority Institutions Fare Better Than Those at Primarily White Institutions?

Abstract

While there is a sizeable body of research examining the association between alcohol use and mental health conditions among college students, there are sparse investigations specifically focusing on these associations among Black college students. This is concerning given Black college students face different stressors compared with their non-Black peers. Black males appear especially at risk, exhibiting increased susceptibility to mental health issues and drinking in greater quantities and more frequently than Black females. This investigation examined the association between alcohol consumption and mental health conditions among Black men attending institutions of higher education in the United States and sought to determine differences between Black men attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs) compared with those attending postsecondary minority institutions. Final sample included 416 Black men, 323 of which attended a PWI. Data were from the National College Health Assessment. Black men attending a PWI reported significantly greater levels of alcohol consumption and significantly more mental health conditions. Attendance at a minority-serving institution was associated with fewer mental health conditions among Black men. Future studies should seek to replicate these findings and conduct culturally sensitive and gender-specific research examining why Black men at PWIs report greater alcohol consumption and more mental health conditions than their peers attending postsecondary minority institutions.

A Call to Action: Using and Extending Human-Centered Design Methodologies to Improve Mental and Behavioral Health Equity

“…Noticeably absent from DMH literature is quantitative and qualitative evidence describing HCD application and principles to mental health work focused on young, Black men. Young, Black men, especially those in college, continue to be at heightened risk of experiencing mental health symptoms; however, their utilization of traditional mental health services remains low ( 43 , 44 ). Disparities in mental health services utilization among minoritized populations is well-documented in the literature ( 45 , 46 ), showing that Black men overwhelmingly lack adequate access to quality care.…”

Ethnic/Racial Differences in Alcohol Use: Does Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Matter?

“…Second, prior data have indicated that college students of color attending predominantly White institutions may engage in higher levels of alcohol consumption and engage in more hazardous drinking behaviors than their same-ethnic peers in minority serving institutions (Barry et al, 2016). Whereas this position has not been well supported among Hispanic students, data have shown that associations between alcohol use behaviors and descriptive drinking norms and gender roles were less robust among those in Hispanic-serving institutions than their counterparts attending predominantly White institutions ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN DRINKING REFUSAL EFFICACY & ALCOHOL USE 15 (Vaughan et al, 2015;Vaughan et al, 2014).…”

Paying the widening participation penalty: Racial and ethnic minority students and mental health in British universities

“…Research demonstrates that African American students in particular often find themselves to be a small minority on and off campus, causing them to feel overly scrutinized stereotyped, and isolated (Thompson & Sekaquaptewa, 2002; Von Robertson & Chaney, 2017). These feelings typically result in diminished academic performance, increased propensity to mental illness, and a reduced willingness to seek professional help (Greer & Chwalisz, 2007; Barry et al., 2017). Equally, research demonstrates the effects of positive experiences on campus on mental health and attitudes toward help‐seeking.…”