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Exploring the Relationship Between Racial Microaggressions and Substance Use in Asian Americans
Annie Chen1, Sierra L Patterson2, Amanda Y Kong3
1School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Substance Use & Misuse
|May 19, 2026
Summary
Racial microaggressions correlate with increased tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol use in Asian American adults. Ethnic identity strength did not alter this relationship, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Racial microaggressions are linked to substance use in various racial groups.
- The specific impact of racial microaggressions on substance use in Asian American adults remains unclear.
- The moderating role of ethnic identity strength in this relationship is also undefined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between racial microaggressions and substance use (tobacco, cannabis, alcohol) in Asian American adults.
- To determine if ethnic identity strength moderates the relationship between racial microaggressions and substance use in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was administered to 523 English-speaking Asian American adults (aged 18+).
- Validated scales measured racial microaggressions and ethnic identity strength.
- Logistic regression analyses examined associations between microaggressions, substance use (past 30-day and former), and ethnic identity strength.
Main Results:
- Higher exposure to racial microaggressions was significantly associated with increased odds of past 30-day tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol use.
- Associations between racial microaggressions and former substance use were inconsistent.
- Ethnic identity strength did not significantly moderate the observed associations between racial microaggressions and substance use outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Racial microaggressions are a significant factor associated with various forms of substance use among Asian American adults.
- Interventions addressing racial microaggressions are recommended to improve substance use-related health outcomes in this demographic.
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