Substance Use and Misuse
Volume 53, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 668-676

Alcohol Use Severity Among Adult Hispanic Immigrants: Examining the Roles of Family Cohesion, Social Support, and Gender (Article)

Cano M.Á.* , Sánchez M. , Rojas P. , Ramírez-Ortiz D. , Polo K.L. , Romano E. , De La Rosa M.
  • a Florida International University, Department of Epidemiology, Miami, FL, United States, Florida International University, Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Miami, FL, United States
  • b Florida International University, Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Miami, FL, United States
  • c Florida International University, Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Miami, FL, United States, Florida International University, Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Miami, FL, United States
  • d Florida International University, Department of Epidemiology, Miami, FL, United States
  • e Florida International University, Department of Epidemiology, Miami, FL, United States
  • f Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Impaired Driving Center, Calverton, MD, United States
  • g Florida International University, Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Miami, FL, United States, Florida International University, School of Social Work, Miami, FL, United States

Abstract

Background: This study examined (a) the direct association of family cohesion on alcohol use severity among adult Hispanic immigrants; (b) the indirect association of family cohesion on alcohol use severity via social support; and (c) if gender moderates the direct and indirect associations between family cohesion and alcohol use severity. Method: Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted on a cross-sectional sample of 411 (men = 222, women = 189) participants from Miami-Dade, Florida. Results: Findings indicate that higher family cohesion was directly associated with higher social support and lower alcohol use severity. Higher social support was also directly associated with lower alcohol use severity. Additionally, family cohesion had an indirect association with alcohol use severity via social support. Moderation analyses indicated that gender moderated the direct association between family cohesion and alcohol use severity, but did not moderate the indirect association. Conclusions: Some potential clinical implications may be that strengthening family cohesion may enhance levels of social support, and in turn, lower alcohol use severity among adult Hispanic immigrants. Furthermore, strengthening family cohesion may be especially beneficial to men in efforts to lower levels of alcohol use severity. © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Author Keywords

Hispanic Social support immigrants Gender differences Alcohol family cohesion

Index Keywords

Alcohol Drinking drinking behavior human social support Hispanic Americans Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant psychology Hispanic Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female Family Relations adult family relation sex factor Sex Factors
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85029502148&doi=10.1080%2f10826084.2017.1356333&partnerID=40&md5=a5e31cca36f5bb0875b6c6fcd9c1c7fa
DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1356333
ISSN: 10826084
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English