Risk and Protective Factors for Multiracial Alcohol and Other Drug Use: A Mixed Methods Approach

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Project Summary/Abstract Multiracial young adults (individuals identifying as more than one race and between ages 18–25), report alcohol and other drug (AOD) use rates that are higher than all other monoracial groups. A dearth of research has examined risk and protective factors related to AOD use among multiracial individuals. The scant research that exists has applied frameworks designed for monoracial populations to study multiracial individuals, and few studies have found factors that are significantly related to AOD use in multiracial individuals. This study improves upon the limited existing research by taking an approach that directly involves multiracial individuals through sequential mixed methods to understand their AOD use. The specific aims of this study are to: (1) conduct focus groups to establish an in-depth understanding of AOD use in multiracial young adults and (2) build a model, informed by community input and qualitative analysis, identifying risk and protective factors associated with AOD use in multiracial young adults and conduct a quantitative study to test the model. The application is significant in that we will uncover factors associated with the high rates of AOD use among a marginalized population of multiracial young adults that will inform interventions to reduce AOD-related health disparities. It is innovative because we will utilize a mixed methods approach to systematically build a community informed model of AOD use among multiracial young adults. The proposed study will be completed in two integrated studies using sequential mixed methods. Study 1 will conduct 3–5 focus groups with 4–8 multiracial participants per group (n = 20–30) who will explore factors related to AOD use in multiracial young adults through semi-structured interviews. Study 2 will utilize the themes uncovered from Study 1 to guide measure selection and build and test a model using structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis (n = 120– 168). Findings will provide a useful framework for better understanding the disproportionately high rates of AOD use among multiracial individuals. As aligned with the NIDA strategic plan, findings will uncover environmental, social, and other causes of AOD use among multiracial young adults and provide information to target interventions to treat and prevent problematic AOD use as well as reduce related health disparities among this growing and high-risk population. The project will also provide the principal investigator vital training and experience in mixed methodology research, grantsmanship, dissemination of findings, networking, mentoring, and conducting ethical research. The research environment at University of Rhode Island including office space, technology, and grant support, along with excellent sponsors and consultants with expertise in relevant content areas and mixed methodology research, provide the ideal setting and mentorship to successfully conduct the proposed project. This project would be vital as a research training opportunity for the applicant’s future career as an independent academic researcher, which will involve research with marginalized and understudied populations for which both quantitative and qualitative research are necessary.