Ethnic differences in alcohol consumption among Asians and Caucasians in the United States: an investigation of cultural and physiological factors

Abstract

The present study examined Asian and Caucasian differences in alcohol consumption and the self-reported socio-cultural and physiological correlates of consumption. The subjects were 83 Asian (38 male, 45 female) and 96 Caucasian (48 male, 48 female) students who were asked to complete questionnaires on: (1) demographic information, (2) general attitudes and values, (3) level of alcohol consumption, (4) attitudes toward drinking and (5) physiological reactivity. The results indicated that: (1) Asians self-reported lower levels of alcohol consumption than did Caucasians, and (2) physiological reactivity and attitudes toward drinking rather than general cultural values were significant predictors of ethnic differences in drinking. The results suggest the importance of simultaneously evaluating physiological reactivity and sociocultural factors in alcohol consumption.