title: Progression to problem drinking among Mexican American and White European first-year college students: a multiple group analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Problem drinking during college is a well-known phenomenon. However, predictors of progression to problematic drinking, particularly among ethnic minorities such as Mexican Americans, have received limited research attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study compared the rates and predictors of problem drinking progression from the first to the second year of college among four groups: Mexican American men, Mexican American women, White European men, and White European women (N = 215). At baseline, participants were all first-year college students who scored as nonproblem drinkers on the Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test (YAAPST). Participants were classified as progressors or stable nondrinkers/nonproblem drinkers based on YAAPST scores 12 months later. Hypothesized predictors of progression included behavioral undercontrol, negative emotionality, alcohol use expectancies, and cultural orientation (Mexican American sample only). Differences were anticipated between gender and ethnic groups in both progression rates and predictors of progression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine percent of the sample progressed to problematic drinking; however, no differences emerged by gender or ethnicity. For the full sample, higher behavioral undercontrol and higher negative emotionality significantly predicted progression. Differences in predictors were not found across gender and ethnic subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hypothesis that rates of progression to problem drinking would differ among the four gender and ethnic groups was not supported. Thus, although White European men are most often identified as at high risk for alcohol use problems, the present findings indicate that women and Mexican American students also should be targeted for prevention and/or intervention.
authors: San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 103, San Diego, California 92120-4929, USA. aschweizer@ucsd.edu
authors: C Amanda
authors: CA
authors: Schweizer
authors: Neal
authors: N
authors: Doran
authors: Scott C
authors: SC
authors: Roesch
authors: Mark G
authors: MG
authors: Myers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult