Microaggressions and marijuana use among college students

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Public Health
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory behaviors.
• Racial/ethnic minority college students frequently experience microaggressions.
• Understanding factors associated with substance use in this population is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between microaggression exposure and regular marijuana use.
• To identify demographic and experiential factors associated with marijuana use in minority college students.

Main Methods:

• Survey data from 332 racial/ethnic minority college students at a U.S. Division I university.
• Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to model regular marijuana use.
• Covariates included sex, age, race/ethnicity, and microaggression scale scores.

Main Results:

• 96% of students reported experiencing microaggressions in the past 6 months.
• 33% of students reported regular marijuana use.
• Age, sex, microinvalidations, and overall microaggression scores were significantly associated with marijuana use (p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Increased microaggression experiences correlate with higher odds of regular marijuana use.
• Interventions targeting discrimination may be a key component in preventing substance use among minority students.
• Academic institutions should consider primary prevention of discriminatory behaviors.