Ethnic and gender differences in normative perceptions of substance use and actual use among college students.

The primary objective of this study was to examine whether perceived norms about cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use differed from actual use by ethnicity using data from the 2011 College Health Survey (N = 974). Analyses of covariance controlling for year in college and sorority or fraternity membership indicated a higher mean discrepancy scores for all substances for minority students compared with White students. Results suggest that minorities may be at an increased risk for substance use due to their perception that the typical student is using more than they actually are. An implication is that social marketing messages may need to be tailored to recognize these discrepancies.