Alcohol use among Dominican and Puerto Rican adolescents residing in New York City: role of Hispanic group and gender.

Overview

Hispanic groups are often aggregated when examining adolescent drinking. The objective of this study was to determine the roles of Hispanic group (Puerto Rican versus Dominican) and gender in alcohol use among inner-city youth. Sixth and seventh graders in 22 New York City schools who identified themselves as Puerto Rican or Dominican completed self-report questionnaires at two assessments (N = 849 at baseline; N = 678 at 1-year follow-up). Dominican adolescents generally engaged in more alcohol use than Puerto Rican adolescents. In a number of cases, gender moderated the effect of Hispanic group on drinking. Specifically, Dominican boys reported greater use than Dominican girls, but use was similar across gender for Puerto Rican adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of considering Hispanic group and gender when examining adolescent drinking.