| This correlational study sought to address the association among five dimensions of ethnic identity and substance use among a nationwide sample of African-American young adults. It also determined which dimension(s) predicted lower levels of substance use. Ethnic identity has been found to be strongly related to participation in risky behaviors such as substance use. A sample of 108 African-American young adults completed an online questionnaire. Measures used in this study included the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), the Ethnic Pride Subscale (EPS), the African American Acculturation Scale-Revised (AAAS-R), and the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Multiple regression analysis was used, in which substance use was the outcome variable. Ethnic identity search was significantly associated with total drug with a moderate effect size of .42. In addition, ethnic regard was significantly associated with total drug with a small effect size of .25. Among the females, ethnic pride was negatively related to total drug, and among the males, ethnic regard was negatively related to total drug. No cultural variable significantly predicted total drug. Findings of the current study do not support the strong protective role of ethnic identity for substance use, as reported in the literature. This was due at least in part to the low levels of substance use reported by this sample of African Americans and the low immersion in the African-American culture. More research is required to better understand the extent to which ethnic identity is protective against substance use for low-risk individuals. In addition, future research should examine the moderating role of gender on the association between ethnic identity and substance use. |
