Ethnic-racial identity modulates emotion dysregulation and alcohol use among an adult sample of Asian Americans

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the moderating role of racial-ethnic identity in the relation between emotion dysregulation and alcohol use and related harms among Asian Americans.

Method: An adult sample of Asian Americans (N = 105, 67.6% women) participated in a study examining emotional experiences across different racial and ethnic groups that assessed emotion dysregulation (Difficulties With Emotion Regulation; Difficulties With Emotion Regulation-Positive), alcohol use and related harms (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test), and ethnic-racial identity (Ethnic Identity Scale).

Results: Negative and positive emotion dysregulation were both significantly positively associated with alcohol use and related harms. A series of moderation analyses revealed that different dimensions of ethnic-racial identity moderated this relationship. Negative emotion dysregulation was significantly positively associated with alcohol use and related harms at lower levels of ethnic-racial identity Affirmation, and positive emotion dysregulation was significantly positively associated with alcohol use and related harms at higher levels of ethnic-racial identity Resolution.

Conclusions: This study is the first to test the moderating role of ethnic-racial identity in the associations between negative and positive emotion dysregulation and alcohol use and related harms among Asian Americans. Results of this study suggest that emotion dysregulation may play a key role in the maintenance of alcohol use and related harms among Asian Americans. Findings also suggest that an assessment of ethnic-racial identity may help identify Asian Americans who are most likely to benefit from interventions targeting negative and positive emotion dysregulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).