Ethnic Identity as a Predictor of Non-Medical Prescription Drug Abuse among a College Population

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

Use of non-medical prescription drugs (NMPD) is a growing trend among college students. Few studies have looked at the relationship between ethnic identity and NMPD use. This study suggests that a sense of ethnic belonging may act as a protective factor against the use of prescription drugs among young adults. This assumption is grounded in social learning theory, which supports the hypotheses that prosocial behaviors and attitudes can be socialized through ethnic affiliation. Data for this study was collected from a survey of undergraduate students at a Midwestern university, with a final sample size of 544. A Poisson regression analysis was run to test the relationship between ethnic identity and NMPD use. The findings indicate a significant negative relationship between the strength of a respondent’s ethnic identity, and the number of prescription drugs he/she has abused over the past year. This indicates that young adults with a stronger sense of ethnic belonging may be less likely to abuse prescription drugs. An interaction effect between race and ethnic identity was also tested to see if the protective power of ethnic identity differs by race. Results indicate that ethnic identity may have a stronger impact in reducing NMPD use among racial minorities.

Authors

• James R. Carter, University of Akron

• Robert Peralta, University of Akron

• Juan Xi, University of Akron