Initial drinking experiences among black and white male and female student drinkers

Survey studies have revealed significant gender and racial differences in alcohol use patterns. One variable which may be related to some of these differences is initial drinking experiences. In this study, such experiences were assessed among 96 Black and White male and female college students. Consistent with past research, differences in initial drinking experiences were associated with gender. Predominant was the finding that men drank more during their initial drinking experience than did women. Further, males tended to report a shorter latency before the second drinking occurrence than did females, and females were more likely to first drink with family while males more often first drank with friends. No racial differences were found. Differences in later drinking patterns, especially those correlated with race, may depend more on subsequent rather than initial drinking experience.