An exploratory analysis of drinking motives and alcohol-related problems among Hispanic college students

The increase in college enrollment for Hispanic college students warrants increased attention to their health and wellness. Given that a common threat to health and well-being in college students is alcohol use and that Hispanic college students are at elevated risk for alcohol-related problems, it is essential to investigate factors that might lead to heightened alcohol-related problems among this population. The present study is a secondary data analysis of an NIAAA-funded study investigating brief interventions for alcohol use among 583 heavy-drinking college students. Specifically, we examined the relationship between Hispanic student status and alcohol-related problems measured one month later. Additionally, we examined the indirect effects of Hispanic status on alcohol-related problems through drinking motives. Analyses revealed a significant association between Hispanic status and alcohol-related problems at baseline but no association between Hispanic status and problems at 1-month, controlling for baseline problems. An indirect effect of the prospective association between Hispanic student status and alcohol-related problems was evident for only one of the four drinking motives (coping). Our findings suggest that reducing coping motives for drinking among Hispanic college students may reduce alcohol-related problems.