title: An exploratory model of substance use among Asian American women: the role of depression, coping, peer use and Asian values.
abstract: This study explored the relationship among Asian values, depressive symptoms, perceived peer substance use, coping strategies, and substance use among 167 Asian American college women. More than 66% of the women in our sample scored higher than the clinical cutoff score on the Center of Epidemiological Depression Scale. Three path analyses examining illicit drugs, alcohol use, and binge drinking indicated that perceived peer use was the most robust predictor of substance use. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with illicit drug use and alcohol consumption but were not related to binge drinking. Asian values and coping strategies were not predictive of substance use. Additional analysis revealed that avoidant coping was a strong predictor of depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction, Personality and Emotion Research, University of Maryland-College Park, College Park, Maryland 21742, USA. Derek.iwamoto@gmail.com
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: William Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Thomasin E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: McCoy
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010379:Peer Group; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult