Pathways to Adult Alcohol Abuse across Racial/Ethnic Groups: An Application of General Strain and Social Learning Theories

Abstract

There is considerable variation in the prevalence, etiology and consequences of alcohol and other drug use across racial/ethnic groups, but studies examining these issues among adult populations remain scarce. This is an important oversight as exposure to many of the risk factors associated with substance use and abuse has been shown to vary by race/ethnicity as well as age. This study examines the causes and correlates of adult alcohol abuse across the three largest racial/ethnic groups in the United States—Whites, Blacks and Hispanics—and provides a theoretically grounded examination of substance abuse by applying two general theories of deviance, Agnew's general strain theory and Akers' social learning theory. Results indicate unconditional support for both theories when applied to White alcohol abuse but more conditional support when applied to patterns of adult alcohol abuse among Hispanics and Blacks. These results suggest that these three racial/ethnic groups experience somewhat different pathways to alcohol disorder.

Alcohol-induced blackouts and maternal family history of problematic alcohol use

“…Because blackouts occur most often after excessive drinking (Jennison & Johnson, 1994) and at higher BACs (White, 2003), we controlled for past 3 month quantity and frequency of drinking. Additionally, due to evidence of differential pathways to alcohol dependence by race (Akins, Smith, & Mosher, 2010; Alvanzo et al, 2011), we controlled for race.…”

College Students and Alcohol Abuse: A Test of Social Learning, Strain, and Acculturation Theories

“…The existing literature differentiates between strain and negative emotions (Akins, Smith, & Mosher, ; Brezina, ; Broidy, ; Hoffmann & Cerbone, ; Jang & Johnson, ; Mazerolle & Piquero, ). Strain is most readily expressed as external sources of strain—stressors (Akins et al, ; Jang & Johnson, ). A multitude of stressors such as the end of a relationship, the death or illness of a friend, the divorce of one's parents, financial strain, or frustrations with one's work are all indicative of this type of strain.…”

Elevated inflammation in association with alcohol abuse among Blacks but not Whites: results from the MIDUS biomarker study

“…For instance, Blacks live in neighborhoods with higher exposure to a range of ecologic stressors including poverty, violence, and air pollution (Boardman, Finch et al 2001). Blacks in these environments also have fewer access to healthy forms of coping (Akins, Smith et al 2010). The environment affordances model demonstrates that Blacks in comparison to Whites engage in behaviors such as drinking to cope with stress associated with disadvantaged environments, which protects against mental disorder but, paradoxically, deteriorates their physiological health (Mezuk, Abdou et al 2013).…”