Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Apr;66(3):178-186.
doi: 10.1080/07448481.2017.1400975. Epub 2018 Feb 1.

Dimensions of ethnic identity as protective factors for substance use and sexual risk behaviors in African American college students

Angela M Bowman Heads  1 , Angel M Glover  2 , Linda G Castillo  2 , Shelley Blozis  3 , Su Yeong Kim  4
Affiliations

Dimensions of ethnic identity as protective factors for substance use and sexual risk behaviors in African American college students

Angela M Bowman Heads et al. J Am Coll Health. 2018 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To examine ethnic identity and ethnic socialization as potential protective factors for risk behaviors among US college students.

Participants: Participants were 398 African American and Afro-Caribbean students recruited from 30 colleges and universities during September 2008-October 2009.

Methods: Data on hazardous alcohol use, substance use, sexual behaviors, ethnic identity, and ethnic/racial socialization were collected. Hierarchical linear and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted to determine the degree to which ethnic identity and ethnic/racial socialization predicted the risk behaviors.

Results: Ethnic Identity affirmation, belonging, and commitment (EI-ABC) significantly predicted lower substance use and hazardous alcohol use. Ethnic/racial socialization was not a significant predictor of substance use or sexual risk behaviors.

Conclusions: Components of ethnic identity are potentially protective against alcohol and substance use behaviors. Additional research is recommended to determine effective intervention strategies.

Keywords: African American; drug use; ethnic identity; sexual risk taking.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Dawson DA, Grant BF, Stinson FS, Chou PS. Another look at heavy episodic drinking and alcohol use disorders among college and noncollege youth. J Stud Alcohol. 2004;65(4):477–488. doi: 10.15288/jsa.2004.65.477. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Anderson PB, Mathieu DA. College students’ high-risk sexual behavior following alcohol consumption. J Sex Marital Ther. 1996;22(4):259–264. doi: 10.1080/00926239608404404. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Adefuye AS, Abiona TC, Balogun JA, Lukobo-Durrell M. HIV sexual risk behaviors and perception of risk among college students: implications for planning interventions. BMC Public Health 2009;9:281–293. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-281. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. White HR, McMorris BJ, Catalano RF, Fleming CB, Hagg-erty KP, Abbott RD. Increases in alcohol and marijuana use during the transition out of high school into emerging adulthood: the effects of leaving home, going to college, and high school protective factors. J Stud Alcohol 2006;67:810–822. doi: 10.15288/jsa.2006.67.810. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Arnett JJ. The developmental context of substance use in emerging adulthood. J Drug Issues 2005;35(2):235–254. doi: 10.1177/002204260503500202. - DOI