Drinking Motives, Cultural Orientations, and Alcohol Use among Hispanic College Students at the U.S.-Mexico Border

Hispanic college students at the U.S.-Mexico border are at higher risk for alcohol use and negative drinking consequences, relative to their counterparts in non-border areas. Hispanic students at the U.S.-Mexico border (N=219, Mage =20.14; 71.2% women) completed an online survey. U.S. orientation was negatively associated with alcohol consumption. Enhancement motives predicted alcohol consumption, whereas coping and conformity motives predicted negative drinking-related consequences. Cultural orientations did not moderate the relations between social motives and alcohol use outcomes. Results highlight the need to consider alcohol-related cognition and to better contextualize U.S. and heritage cultural orientations among Hispanics in the U.S.-Mexico areas.