Differential effects of acculturation on drinking behavior in Chinese- and Korean-American college students.
OBJECTIVE
Recent evidence suggests increasing rates of alcohol use and related disorders among Asian-American young adults. Relatively little research has focused on this group, and few studies have examined heterogeneity in drinking prevalence and correlates across Asian subgroups. This study examined interactive effects of ethnicity, acculturation, and gender on drinking behavior among Asian-American undergraduates.


METHODS
Participants were 112 Chinese Americans and 108 Korean Americans (mean age = 19.2 years, 61% female) who completed measures of alcohol use, acculturation, and demographic factors. Multivariate analyses examined drinking behavior (defined as quantity, frequency, and duration) as a function of ethnicity, gender, and acculturation.


RESULTS
Overall, Korean ethnicity predicted increased drinking, and acculturation predicted decreased drinking. However, acculturation interacted with ethnicity such that its influence was protective for Korean Americans and negligible for Chinese Americans.


CONCLUSIONS
Previous research implicates acculturation as a risk factor for drinking among Asian Americans, but the current findings suggest that protective effects may also exist. Results also indicate that Korean ethnicity is a risk factor particularly in the context of low acculturation. These findings illustrate the need to consider ethnic subgroup differences in drinking rates and in risk and protective factors for alcohol use among Asian Americans.
Hendershot
Christian S
CS
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. chender@u.washington.edu
Dillworth
Tiara M
TM
Neighbors
Clayton
C
George
William H
WH
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology*; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities