Drinking Motives and Alcohol Use Behaviors among African American College Students: The Mediating Role of Protective Behavioral Strategies

Abstract

Drinking motives are robust predictors of alcohol use behaviors among college students. However, less is known about the link between drinking motives and alcohol use behaviors among African American college students. This study explored the associations between drinking motives and alcohol use behaviors in a sample of 215 African American college students. The study also assessed whether protective behavioral strategies mediated the associations between drinking motives and alcohol use behaviors. A direct relationship emerged between enhancement motives and alcohol consumption, harmful drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. Protective behavioral strategies mediated each of these relationships. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Interaction between the ADH1B*3 allele and drinking motives on alcohol use among Black college students

“…Further, our findings suggest unique associations of enhancement motives with drinking over and above other motives, consistent with previous research among Black college students. 22,23 Enhancement motives may have strong associations with Black college student drinking regardless of ADH1B genotype.…”

“…Since existing (albeit limited) research has suggested associations of enhancement motives with individual differences in drinking behavior among Black college students, 22,23 it was hypothesized that enhancement motives would be associated with alcohol consumption. Regarding genetic modulation in these associations, we did not formulate hypotheses regarding associations of specific drinking motives with drinking behavior given that this is a new investigation; it was hypothesized that the ADH1B*3 allele would protect against drinking when students endorsed high levels of motivation to drink for enhancement, social, and/or coping reasons.…”

“…21 However, limited research of Black college students suggests different patterns of associations between drinking motives and drinking behavior among Black college students. Specifically, among Black college students, enhancement (but not social, coping, or conformity) motives have been uniquely associated with individual differences in drinking behavior (e.g., drinking quantity, weekly drinking, heavy episodic drinking), after controlling for other drinking motives; 22,23 in contrast, social and coping motives were associated only with within-person variations in drinking across drinking episodes. 23 Finally, in contrast to relatively well-established positive associations of enhancement, social, and coping motives with drinking behavior, research has demonstrated nonsignificant and sometimes positive associations of conformity motives with drinking behavior among general and high-risk 24–26 college student samples.…”

Perfectionism and alcohol use outcomes in college students: the moderating role of alcohol protective behavioral strategies

“…Also, future research should explore the impact of specific demographic factors, such as gender and ethnicity, on the established relationships given well known differences between these groups with alcohol outcomes (Borsari, Murphy, & Barnett, 2007). A better understanding of these differences can help inform culturally-and gender-focused prevention and intervention efforts (Madson, Villarosa, Moorer, & Zeigler-Hill, 2015;Madson & Zeigler-Hill, 2013).…”

Interaction between ADH1B*3 and alcohol‐facilitating social environments in alcohol behaviors among college students of african descent

“…For example, harm reduction approaches with protective behavioral strategies (e.g., alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, setting a limit on number of drinks, arranging for a designated driver) have been associated with decreased alcohol consumption and negative drinking consequences among college students of African descent. 38 Moreover, psychoeducation about possible alcohol-related risks due to genotype (i.e., genetic feedback interventions) may be efficacious in reducing students of African descent’s alcohol use. 39 …”