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Alcohol-Related Problems Among Black Adults: the Role of False Safety Behaviors

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Abstract

Background

Black adults who consume alcohol experience negative alcohol-related outcomes, indicating a need for culturally sensitive research aimed at identifying malleable psychological factors that may play a role in drinking related problems to inform prevention and treatment. One such factor is false safety behavior (FSB), which reflects behaviors geared toward decreasing anxiety short term but that maintains or increases anxiety long term. Although emerging data indicate that FSBs are related to substance use in predominantly White samples, no known studies have tested whether these behaviors are related to drinking behaviors among Black individuals.

Methods

Participants were 163 Black undergraduate who endorsed current (past-month) alcohol use and completed an online survey.

Results

FSB use frequency was robustly positively related to alcohol-related problems, even after controlling for peak eBAC, anxiety, depression, and relevant demographic variables. Anxiety was indirectly related to alcohol-related problems via more frequent FSB use.

Conclusions

Nearly all Black individuals who consume alcohol report using FSB to manage anxiety. More frequent FSB use is robustly related to more alcohol-related problems and may play an important role in the relation of anxiety with alcohol-related problems among Black individuals who endorse current alcohol use.

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Acknowledgements

The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA/HHS, or the US government.

Funding

Dr. Buckner receives funding from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program (Grant D40HP33350).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, 236 Audubon Hall, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Julia D. Buckner & Caroline R. Scherzer

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

  3. Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

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  1. Julia D. Buckner
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  2. Michael J. Zvolensky
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  3. Caroline R. Scherzer
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Correspondence to Julia D. Buckner.

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Buckner, J., Zvolensky, M.J. & Scherzer, C.R. Alcohol-Related Problems Among Black Adults: the Role of False Safety Behaviors. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 10, 987–992 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01286-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01286-7

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