Examining parental permissiveness toward drinking and perceived ethnic discrimination as risk factors for drinking outcomes among Latinx college students

Background: Despite almost 1 in 5 college students being Latinx, research examining risk factors for college alcohol misuse and consequences to inform prevention efforts for Latinx is limited. The current study attempts to address a health disparity among Latinx college students by examining the effects of parental permissiveness of underage drinking and perceived ethnic discrimination on drinking outcomes. Methods: Latinx students from three large and geographically diverse public universities (N = 215; 73% female) completed measures during the fall of their first (T1) and second (T2) years. Analyses used moderated regression with bootstrapping to obtain asymmetrical 95% confidence intervals. Parental permissiveness of underage drinking and perceived ethnic discrimination were assessed as predictors at T1. Drinking outcomes were assessed at T2 as typical weekly drinking, peak blood alcohol content (BAC), and alcohol-related consequences. Results: T1 permissiveness was significantly positively associated with T2 peak BAC. T1 discrimination significantly moderated the association between T1 permissiveness and T2 peak BAC as well as T2 consequences. The effects of T1 permissiveness on T2 peak BAC and T2 consequences were stronger among Latinx who experienced above-average levels of T1 discrimination. Conclusions: Results suggest that among Latinx parental permissiveness of underage drinking and perceived ethnic discrimination are risk factors for peak BAC and alcohol-related consequences. The positive associations between parental permissiveness and peak BAC/consequences were stronger among Latinx students who experienced high levels of ethnic discrimination. Efforts to address these risk factors in future culturally sensitive parent-based interventions for Latinx college students are warranted.