An Examination of Subjective Response to Alcohol in African Americans

Abstract

Alcohol response is a widely studied risk factor for heavy drinking behavior and alcohol-use disorders. This study examined acute subjective response to alcohol as a predictor of drinking behavior, alcohol-related problems, and family history of alcoholism in African Americans. The convergent validity of self-reported response to alcohol (Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol scale [SRE]) in an African-American sample was also examined. One hundred and three African-American young adults participated in an alcohol-challenge study, receiving a moderate dose of alcohol (0.72 g/kg alcohol for men, 0.65 g/kg for women). Breath alcohol concentration and subjective response to alcohol were assessed before beverage consumption, in 15-minute intervals for the first hour following consumption, and in 30-minute intervals thereafter. Latent variable growth models indicated that experiencing increased acute stimulation from alcohol was related to past-month drinking behavior and alcohol-related problems. Regression analyses indicated that the SRE was related to drinking behavior, alcohol-related problems, having an alcohol-use disorder, and a family history of alcoholism. The SRE was not related to either sedation or stimulation following alcohol administration. Results support alcohol response as a marker of risk for increased drinking behavior and alcohol-related problems in African Americans. Further research is required to directly compare African-American and white response to alcohol within an alcohol-challenge paradigm.