Exploring Substance Use Among Multiethnic Sexual Minority Youth: The Influence of Support and Discrimination

Background and Purpose: Emerging research indicates that rates of substance use (SU) for sexual minority youth (SMY) are nearly twice that of their heterosexual peers (Marshall, Friedman, Stall, et. al., 2008) and SMY are at higher risk for SU disorders later in life (Marshal, Friedman, Stall & Thompson, 2009). Despite a dearth of literature examining specific SU risk and protective factors among multiethnic sexual minority youth (MSMY) (Marshal et. al., 2009), mounting research demonstrates the protective influence of support from peers and family (Detrie & Lease, 2008), and the potential mental health and SU risks associated with discrimination among SMY (D'Augelli, 2003). Because SMY may experience risk and protective factors differently depending on race/ethnicity (Poteat, Aragon, Espelage, & Koenig, 2009), research must explore specific pathways to SU among samples of MSMY. The present study examines the relations between SU, peer and family support, and perceived discrimination. It is expected that perceived discrimination will influence SU both directly and indirectly through its influence on family and peer support. Methods: Hispanic and black SMY (n=273) were identified using venue based sampling in a survey study conducted at 15 urban high schools. Independent measures included demographic variables as well as perceived discrimination (Kessler, Mikelson & Williams, 1999) peer and family social support scales. Substance use was derived from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) asking about past month alcohol and illicit drug use. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to test multivariate relationships of the latent variables of social support and perceived discrimination and resulted in a model detailing the impact on youth substance use. SPSS 17.0 and AMOS 7.0 software facilitated analysis. Results: A majority of the sample was female (60%), Hispanic (64%) and bisexual (40%) with a mean age of 16. The best fitting model had values of x2 (12, p = > .853) = 12.21; CFI = .999; GFI =.991; RMSEA = .000 with a p-value of close-fit of .9. Examination of model path coefficients revealed peer support positively influenced alcohol use, while it negatively influenced illicit drug use. Lack of family support positively influenced illicit drug use but not alcohol use. While perceived discrimination did not directly impact SU, it exerted an indirect influence on SU through its impact on peer and family support. Conclusions and Implications: Prevention and early intervention programs targeting the specific needs of MSMY are necessary to avert the development of serious SU problems. This study provides meaningful information regarding potential correlates of SU among MSMY. Consistent with findings with general populations of youth, peer and family support were associated with SU among MSMY and represent appropriate targets of intervention. Further exploration is needed to determine whether the relation between peer support and alcohol use among MSMY is indicative of developmentally normative behavior or an additional risk. As perceived discrimination moderates the protective influence of peer and family support, social work efforts that target discriminatory practices and behaviors to enhance the effectiveness of SU interventions for MSMY will be discussed.