Alcohol Abuse, Why Not an Issue for African American College Students?

This article reviews some of the literature surrounding alcohol consumption in college environments and compares its prevalence between African American students and White students. African American college students do not seem to have the same college drinking issues as White students. This article will explore a few of the protective factors postulated to decrease the drinking behaviors of African American students, to include racial identity, parental influence, religiosity, and peer use. Implications for counselors as well as suggestions for intervention and strategies surrounding alcohol use and abuse are provided. Overall, more research needs to be conducted in this area to ascertain ways in which these protective factors can be heralded and possibly expanded to other cultures.