Ethnic-Racial Identity and Alcohol Use Moderated by Family Factors among Diverse Emerging Adults

Excessive alcohol use is associated with adverse outcomes, underscoring the importance of identifying factors that may reduce alcohol use among diverse emerging adults, including ethnic-racial identity (ERI) and family factors. Limited work has examined factors that moderate the relations between ERI and alcohol use. The current study tested whether family factors (i.e., parent education and family history of alcohol problems) moderated the relations between ERI and alcohol use among 1850 diverse college students, ages 18-22 (M = 18.46, SD = .38). Findings indicated that moderation effects varied by students' ethnicity/race. At high levels of parent education, greater ERI resolution predicted less alcohol use among Asian individuals, and greater alcohol use among White individuals. Among Multiracial individuals with lower family history of alcohol problems, greater ERI exploration was related to less alcohol use. Findings highlight nuanced ways that ERI, parent education, family history of alcohol problems, and racial differences influence college students' alcohol use. Results have implications for alcohol prevention and intervention programs by highlighting that both ERI development and family influences should be discussed by therapists, program leaders, and mentors with emerging adults across racial backgrounds.