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Perceived Racial Discrimination and Motivations for Illicit Substance Use among Black College Student Drug Users

Lanaway, Danni A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1446546551

Abstract Details

2015, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Psychology.
The current study sought to examine Black college students’ motivations for illicit substance use, investigate whether particular motivations associated with managing negative feelings and with enhancing academic performance are associated with greater frequency of drug use, and examine particular motivations as potential mediators for the relationship between PRD and frequency of substance use. The sample consisted of 151 participants (self-identified Black race, self-reported past year illicit substance user, enrolled in college at least part-time and at least 18 years of age) who were recruited using convenience sampling. Participants completed an online survey that captured demographic information, frequency of substance use, motivations for illicit drug use and experiences of perceived racial discrimination in the academic setting. For any substance use (n=151), the most commonly endorsed motivations included: enjoyment (83.4%; n=126), celebration (66.2%; n=100), and experimentation (58.9%; n=89). For cannabis, enjoyment (87.8%; n=115), celebration (66.4%; n=87) and perceived relatively low risk (60.3%; n=79) were endorsed most frequently. Self-medicating motivations were reported most often for opioids (81.3%, n=13). Academic enhancement motives were reported most frequently (80.6%; n=25) for stimulants. For sedatives (n=17), sleep (82.4%; n=14) was the most commonly reported motive. For hallucinogens (n=13), experimentation (92.3%; n=12), enjoyment (76.9%; n=10) and altered perceptions motivations (69.2%; n=9) were endorsed most frequently. Lastly, for cocaine (n=5), in conjunction with alcohol, altered perceptions, enjoyment and experimentation were endorsed by 100% of the cocaine users (n=5). No gender differences in reported coping or self-medicating motivations were found. Students who reported coping motives for cannabis use had higher frequencies of cannabis use (n=59, M=32.93 SD=23.90) compared to those who did not report coping motives (n=72, M=16.08, SD=20.18), t(113.83) = -4.30, p < .001. And, students who were in the high cannabis frequency group endorsed higher levels of coping motives for cannabis use (n=60, M=1.75, SD=1.72) compared to those students in the low cannabis frequency group (n=66, M=0.74, SD=1.32), t(110.52) = -3.66, p < .001. Further, level of PRD was found to be associated with cannabis coping motivations ß=0.48, t(46)=3.54, p< .001.
Sarah Whitton, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Ann Kathleen Hoard Burlew, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Farrah Jacquez, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
55 p.
Psychology
Motivation; Substance Use; Black College Students

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lanaway, D. A. (2015). Perceived Racial Discrimination and Motivations for Illicit Substance Use among Black College Student Drug Users [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1446546551

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lanaway, Danni. Perceived Racial Discrimination and Motivations for Illicit Substance Use among Black College Student Drug Users. 2015. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1446546551.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lanaway, Danni. "Perceived Racial Discrimination and Motivations for Illicit Substance Use among Black College Student Drug Users." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1446546551

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1446546551
543
© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.