DEMOGRAPHIC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FOR ALCOHOL-USE - ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES

Objective: We examined the influence of demographic variables, and soc ial (parents and peers), attitudinal and intentions variables regardin g alcohol use on actual drinking behavior among Asian and white popula tions. Method: Asian (n = 148; 79 female, 69 male) and white (n = 132; 72 female, 60 male) college students completed a questionnaire. Resul ts: Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that social and attitudinal factors reflected a common construct of Psychosocial Vulnerability whi ch, in a structural equation model, was significantly predicted by eth nicity. The white population was exposed to more psychosocial risks to alcohol use compared to the Asian population. Ethnicity, however, did not directly predict either drinking intentions or drinking behavior, after the effects on Psychosocial Vulnerability were considered. Conc lusions: Our findings suggest that ethnic differences in alcohol use b etween Asians and whites are mainly due to different levels of exposur e to risk factors. Effective prevention programs must consider, not on ly psychosocial factors, but also certain contextual factors such as s ex and ethnicity.