Race/Ethnicity, Coping, and Drinking Outcomes

Abstract

Particular coping strategies involving behavioral and psychological responses to stressors are viewed as protective in relation to harmful effects of stressors, including problematic drinking. One framework for examining modes of coping has classified responses into those deemed either protective of or detrimental to health. This study examined racial/ethnic differences in the use of nine coping strategies and their relation to problematic drinking. Using two waves of data from a study of university employees, we examined the extent to which modes of coping varied by race/ethnicity, and whether the coping strategies were protective or predictive of problematic drinking. Two modes of coping considered “maladaptive” (denial, self-blame) were protective for African American and Hispanic respondents in comparison to White respondents, while two “adaptive” measures of coping (positive reframing, humor) were protective against drinking for African Americans compared to Whites. Implications for these findings as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Race, Coping Strategies, and Substance Use Behaviors: A Preliminary Analysis Examining White and American Indian Adolescents

“…White respondents appeared to be more likely to employ active coping strategies (3.87 versus 3.39), acceptance (4.24 versus 3.82) and self-blame (2.87 versus 2.26) coping strategies than AI respondents, while AI students were more likely to employ denial as a coping strategy than whites (1.66 versus 1.30). The finding that whites were more likely to employ active coping strategies is consistent with the notion that minorities, due to the increased likelihood of having limited resources (relative to whites), are less likely to engage in active coping strategies because of the resource demands needed to utilize such strategies (Richman et al, 2011). Overall, these results suggested that while some racial differences in the use of various coping strategies existed, there was considerable convergence in the use of various coping styles as well.…”

“…Specifically, self-distraction appeared to be effective at reducing the propensity to use marijuana for whites, but was associated with increased risk of marijuana use among AIs. The latter finding is somewhat novel, given that past research has found that avoidance coping strategies are maladaptive for samples of white respondents (Baer et al, 1987; Richman et al, 2011) while being a protective factor for other racial minorities, such as African Americans (Richman et al, 2011; Van Gundy and Howerton, 2005). Our results lend further credence to the notion that the relationship between coping strategies and outcomes is much more nuanced and complex than has been suggested, with coping strategies being adaptive, maladaptive, or even of no import in predicting substance use behavior among adolescents.…”

“…While prior research often assumed that problem-focused coping was adaptive while emotion-focused and (especially) avoidance-focused strategies were maladaptive, more recent research has suggested that the association between coping strategies and health outcomes is more complex. This research has provided evidence that emotion-focused or avoidance-focused coping strategies may be protective for females (reducing depressed mood) and for African Americans or Hispanics (reducing problem drinking) (e.g., Compas et al, 2001; Howerton and Van Gundy, 2009; Richman et al, 2011). …”

“…But as mentioned earlier, many of these studies utilized samples of white, non-Hispanics—the association between coping strategies and substance use behaviors among racial and ethnic minorities is relatively underexplored. As Richman and colleagues (2011) recently noted: “The assumption that certain responses are always ‘adaptive’ while other approaches are ‘maladaptive’ when dealing with stressors presents problems for those interested in understanding the relationships between stressors, coping, and mental health outcomes, including problematic drinking behaviors. It assumes homogeneity across all groups and suggests that what is adaptive for one group will be similarly adaptive for other groups.…”

“…For example, one study found that avoidant coping strategies (e.g., escape, denial) and emotion-focused coping strategies are positively associated with alcohol use disorders among rural African-American women (Boyd et al, 2007), while another found that avoidant coping strategies were negatively associated with binge drinking and marijuana use among Asian-American males (Liu and Iwamoto, 2007). Richman and colleagues (2011) also examined race/ethnic differences in coping strategies and their association with another substance use behavior—problem drinking. Using measures from Carver's (1997) Brief COPE instrument, these authors found that denial and self-blame forms of coping, typically presumed to be maladaptive coping strategies, were actually protective against problem drinking among Blacks and Hispanic respondents (relative to whites).…”