Socio-Cultural Protective and Risk Factors of Alcohol Use among Non-Hispanic White and Hispanic Sexual Minority Youth

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: NIAAA identifies underage drinking as a public health issue with serious consequences. Sexual minority youth (SMY) who use alcohol have even worse consequences, such as increased risk of cancer, risky sexual behavior, and suicidal attempts, due to their stigmatized identity. Hispanic SMY may be at even greater risk of developing alcohol use problems because of the additive status-based discrimination that may arise from being a sexual and ethnoracial minority. Minority stress theory posits that youth who experience discriminatory events cope with psychological distress by using alcohol. To date, little is known about how Hispanic SMY respond to social stressors or how socio-cultural protective factors (i.e., coping strategies, social support) and negative and positive affect may mediate these stressors’ effects on Hispanic SMY’s use of alcohol. EMA is a unique method that can assess minority stress theory, psychological distress, and alcohol use in real-time, however it has not been used to assess this relationship with Hispanic SMY. In line with NIH’s recent call for increased research on sexual minority health, the research aims of this Career Development Award (K08) are to: 1) Assess the acceptability and feasibility of the minority stress, alcohol, and protective factor measures in ecological momentary assessment (EMA) between Hispanic and white SMY; 2) Examine the effects of minority stress on SMY’s alcohol use and the mediating effects of affect; and 3) Examine the sociocultural risk and protective factors of alcohol use. This study will be conducted in 3 phases. In Phase 1, the measures will be developed using cognitive interviews with Hispanic and white SMY (N=20 or until saturation is reached). Phase 2 will consist of a pilot-EMA testing of the EMA with Hispanic and white SMY (N=20) over two-weeks and post- EMA cognitive interviews to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the EMA. In phase 3, the finalized EMA will be conducted over a 30-day period to assess minority stress, affect, and sociocultural protective factors of alcohol use among 50 Hispanic and 50 white SMY. This K08 proposed study and mentor plan will help the candidate develop expertise in 1) The development and progression of alcohol use in youth; 2) Risk and protective factors of alcohol use in SMY; 3) Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) methodologies; 4) Intensive longitudinal data analysis for analyzing EMA; and 5) cultural adaptation of measures and interventions for SMY of color. The training goals will build off of the candidate’s prior training in 1) Positive youth development among youth of color; 2) The effects of discrimination on substance use; 3) qualitative analysis, and 4) advanced statistical analysis.