Assessing parental alcoholism: Predictor of hispanic and anglo college student drinking and other drug use

This research was undertaken to assess parental alcoholism as a predictor of the substance-using behaviors of 418 Hispanic and Anglo college students as compared with other potential predictors including age, gender, ethnicity, and membership in Greek societies. Multiple regression tests were conducted with parental alcoholism, participant age, gender, ethnicity, Greek society membership, and the twoway interaction of ethnicity and parental alcoholism as predictors, and total alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana and cocaine use as criterion variables. Parental alcoholism was not significantly linked to any substance use outcome. Ethnicity significantly predicted abusive drinking, with Anglos reporting more frequent and greater use than Hispanics. Participant age predicted marijuana and cocaine use, with older respondents being more likely to report such use. The high rates of substance use in this population may have lessened the usefulness of parental alcoholism status as a predictor of student substance use. © 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved