Associations between microaggressions, depression, anxiety, and alcohol use among Black young adults: findings from a pilot study

TL;DR

This study explores how microaggressions relate to mental health and alcohol use in Black young adults, finding a potential link between microaggressions and binge drinking among those with depression.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel exploration of microaggressions as a contextual factor influencing binge drinking in Black young adults with depression.

Findings

82.6% of participants reported experiencing microaggressions in the past 30 days.

Moderate/severe depression was linked to binge drinking only among those who experienced microaggressions.

The association approached statistical significance, suggesting microaggressions may influence drinking behaviors.

Abstract

This pilot study, which was designed to inform mobile health intervention development, assessed the frequency of various microaggressions and explored associations among microaggressions, alcohol use, depression, and anxiety in Black young adults.

Ninety-two Black adults (mean age = 22.2 [SD = 1.9]) who regularly consume alcohol were recruited through social media to complete a survey on microaggressions, depression, anxiety, and alcohol use. Microaggression frequencies were calculated and a Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test was used to model interrelationships among microaggressions, depression, and anxiety with respect to binge drinking.

Past-30-day microaggression experiences were reported by 82.6% of participants. Stratified analyses signaled that the association between moderate/severe depression and binge drinking exclusively among individuals who had past-30-day microaggression experiences, approached statistical significance (OR = 2.58, 95% CI:0.94, 7.01; Cohen’s d = 0.52).

Findings highlight the pervasiveness of microaggressions and suggest that they may play a key contextual role in shaping binge drinking behaviors among Black young adults experiencing depression.