Examination of cross-group contact at work and school in relation to acute and retrospective discrimination experiences and drinking to cope for Black and White young adult drinkers

Black drinkers experience more alcohol problems compared to White drinkers at comparable levels of alcohol use (Mulia et al., 2009; Witbrodt et al., 2014; Zapolski et al., 2014). Research has found that Black compared to White drinkers endorse drinking to cope more frequently via retrospective report (Bradizza et al., 1999; Cooper et al., 2008). Additional research is needed to understand contributors to these racial differences. The primary aim of the present study was to examine how quality and frequency of cross-group contact at work and/or school relates to experiencing discrimination and, in turn, drinking to cope. Seventy-two young adult drinkers (Mage = 25, 72% female, 28% male; 64% Black, 36% White) completed baseline questionnaires and a subset (n = 50) completed a 17-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. Cross-group contact frequency and quality was assessed at baseline while discrimination and coping motives were assessed via retrospective report at baseline and acutely via EMA. Accounting for sociodemographic covariates, path analyses utilizing retrospective measures revealed a significant indirect pathway from race to coping motives through quality of work/school cross-group contact and discrimination experiences related to assumptions of inferiority. Identical path analyses utilizing the acute EMA data revealed a significant indirect pathway from race to coping motives through quality of work/school cross-group contact. Improving cross-group contact at work and school may reduce drinking to cope. Additional research examining multiple domains of discrimination, quality of cross-group contact, and alcohol problems over time is needed to further understanding of social determinants of health inequities in alcohol problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).