Adverse childhood experiences, racial microaggressions, and alcohol misuse in Black and White emerging adults

Racial Microaggressions Mediate the Association Between Posttraumatic Stress and Alcohol Use Among Women of Color Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Objective: Women of Color (WoC) experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) have elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use and related harm (e.g., increased alcohol use and negative consequences). This secondary data analysis assessed the role of racial microaggressions in the association between PTSD and alcohol use and related harm among WoC experiencing IPV. Methods: Participants were 103 WoC currently experiencing IPV and using substances (Mage=40.39, 51.5% Black) who were recruited from the community and completed assessments of PTSD, racial microaggressions, and alcohol use and related harm. Results: Assumptions of Inferiority (e.g., intelligence; B = 1.44, SE = 0.90, 95% CI [0.10, 3.54]) and Environmental Microaggressions (e.g., portrayal in media; B = 1.88, SE = 1.03, 95% CI [0.28, 4.30]) explained the association between PTSD and alcohol use and related harm. Conclusions: Findings underscore the influence of specific microaggressions in the relation between PTSD and alcohol use and related harm among WoC experiencing IPV.

Alcohol and cannabis dual use among Black adults: Associations with alcohol use, use-related problems, and race-based discrimination

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Black adults who drink alcohol appear at risk for poor alcohol-related outcomes, yet little research has examined whether cannabis use among those who consume alcohol (alcohol-cannabis dual use) is related to worse alcohol-related consequences, as observed in predominantly White samples. Further, it may be that experiencing more race-based discrimination may be related to using multiple substances to cope with such experiences; however, no known studies have examined the impact of race-based discrimination on alcohol-cannabis dual use.

METHODS

Participants were 270 Black undergraduates who endorsed past-month drinking, 112 of whom endorsed alcohol-cannabis dual use.

RESULTS

The dual use group reported heavier drinking, more drinking-related problems, and more race-based microaggressions (but not overt racism) than the alcohol-only group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of cannabis among Black young adults who drink alcohol was related to heavier drinking and more alcohol-related problems. Further, experiencing more microaggressions may place these individuals at risk for using multiple substances, presumably to cope with these experiences.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Considering models suggesting that the dual use of cannabis may result in less alcohol use, the current study highlights that for Black adults who consume alcohol, cannabis dual use is related to heavier drinking and more alcohol-related problems, which can inform intervention and treatment efforts.

The Associations of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) With Substance Use in Young Adults: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Young adulthood is a transitional period between adolescence and adulthood. Due to the unique pressures of taking on a new social role and associated uncertainties, young adults are at heightened risk for drug and alcohol use. Furthermore, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increases the likelihood of using maladaptive coping strategies such as using substances to avoid or soothe negative emotions. The current review aimed to summarize the associations between exposure to ACEs before the age of 18 years and subsequent drug or alcohol use between the ages of 18 and 25 years.

Methods

The review was performed in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The literature search of the Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases was conducted in February 2022.

Results

The initial search yielded 7178 articles, with 777 duplicates. Consequently, 6401 titles were inspected for relevance. After reading the full text, 88 articles were included in the review.

Conclusion

This review provides clear evidence that exposure to multiple ACEs is a robust risk factor for the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs by young adults. Poor self-regulation and maladaptive coping strategies were identified as mechanisms explaining this link; however, further detailed research is needed.

The Robust Relation of Microaggressions with Alcohol-Related Problems Among Black Individuals Who Use Alcohol: the Role of Drinking to Cope with Negative Affect

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use is an important area of health disparities among Black individuals in the United States (US). The identification of psycho-sociocultural factors that play a role in alcohol-related problems among this population can inform culturally sensitive prevention and treatment efforts. Psycho-sociocultural models of alcohol misuse posit that some Black Americans may drink (and continue to drink despite drinking-related problems) to alleviate negative affect associated with experiencing race-based discrimination. Although there is a strong link between overt race-based discrimination and drinking outcomes, little research has tested whether more common, everyday race-based discrimination (microaggressions) is related and whether this association is attributable, in part, to drinking to cope with negative affect.

METHODS

Participants were 365 Black undergraduate current individuals who use alcohol who completed an online survey.

RESULTS

Microaggressions were significantly, positively correlated with alcohol-related problems, even after controlling for drinking, overt discrimination, non-racist life stressors, and relevant demographic variables. Microaggressions were indirectly related to alcohol-related problems via drinking to cope with negative affect (depression, anxiety).

CONCLUSIONS

Microaggressions are robustly associated with alcohol-related problems even after accounting for variance attributable to more overt discrimination and non-racist stressors among Black adults. Consistent with minority stress models, this relation may be due in part to drinking to cope with negative affect (depression, anxiety).

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Alcohol Use among Black College Students: Examining the Mediating Roles of Depression and Coping Drinking Motives

Background: Over the past two decades, research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to adult health-risk behaviors such as excessive alcohol use. Yet, few have investigated health-risk behaviors among Black college students. Research suggests that Black college students are at lower risk for hazardous drinking patterns, yet ACEs appear to alter the drinking patterns of Black students. Other studies have also shown depressive symptoms and coping-motivated drinking to predict greater alcohol consumption for this ethnic group. Objective: The current study investigated the relationship between ACEs and hazardous patterns of drinking, including frequency of alcohol use, binge, and heavy drinking episodes, using a sample of 282 Black students attending a historically black college/university (HBCU). Results: Depressive symptoms and coping drinking motives were tested as serial mediators between ACEs and the three drinking patterns. Results revealed a significant indirect effect of ACEs on the frequency of alcohol use, binge, and heavy drinking episodes, through depressive symptoms and coping drinking motives. Depressive symptoms also independently mediated the relationship between ACEs and heavy drinking episodes. Conclusion: The finding suggested that drinking perhaps serves as a maladaptive coping strategy to address underlying early life stress and depression for Black students.

Gender and Childhood Victimization: A Longitudinal Study of Heavy Drinking in Young Adulthood

The present longitudinal study, for 12 years, followed a group of young adults, examining (1) whether/how victimization in childhood increased the likelihood of heavy drinking; (2) whether depression mediated the strain-heavy drinking relationship; and (3) whether/how relationships among strain, depression, and heavy drinking differed across two gender groups. Data came from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort, dating 2004-2015 (5 interview waves and 22,549 person-wave measurements total). We linked consumption of 5+ drinks (during the month prior) to four discrete measures of violent victimization, to one measure of stressful events, and to depression. We needed to consider repeat measures of the same variables over time, so we used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to analyze data. Depression was found to increase heavy drinking uniformly. Empirical evidence confirmed that in the strain-heavy drinking relationship, depression plays a minor mediating role. Gender moderated heavy drinking's associations. Specifically, bullying in childhood raised risk for female respondents. The current strain was associated with a higher risk of heavy drinking among male respondents. Childhood victimization, as well as current life stress, play an important role in depression and heavy drinking. Future research should focus on the development of specific, targeted care to reduce heavy drinking's harm and promote equity among Americans.

Psychometric evaluation of the Reward Probability Index in emerging adult drinkers

OBJECTIVE

Diminished access to environmental rewards is an established risk factor for addiction and a focus of many effective treatment approaches. Nevertheless, there is inconsistency in measurement approaches and a need for a psychometrically sound measure. The Reward Probability Index (RPI; Carvalho, Behavior Therapy, 42, 2011, pp. 249-262) is a 20-item self-report rating scale that measures access to and ability to experience psychosocial reward.

METHOD

The current studies sought to evaluate the psychometric properties of the RPI in 2 samples of emerging adult heavy drinkers.

RESULTS

In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis in a sample of 393 college student drinkers supported a 2-factor model of the RPI (Reward Probability and Environmental Suppressors) after removal of redundant items, and corresponding subscales demonstrated good internal consistency. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis with 602 emerging adult drinkers recruited from the community supported the 2-factor model as best fitting after removal of one poor indicator, although absolute fit was only adequate. This 2-factor model demonstrated configural, metric, and scalar invariance across non-college and college subgroups as well as Black and White subgroups. Study 2 also demonstrated that the revised RPI subscales showed significant associations with measures of substance-free activity participation and enjoyment, anhedonia, and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the study revealed the RPI Environmental Suppressors subscale predicted alcohol-related problems (β = .25, p < .001) beyond demographic covariates, weekly drinking, and depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies provide evidence for the validity of the RPI as an efficient measure of access to reward among emerging adult heavy drinkers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).