A cross-ethnic comparison of reasons given for using alcohol, not using alcohol or ceasing to use alcohol.

In a study that included six different racial-ethnic groups in Hawaii, the reasons given by drinkers for drinking, abstainers for not drinking and former drinkers for ceasing to drink were assessed. Although there were group differences in frequencies of endorsement of given reasons for drinking, for not drinking or for ceasing to drink, the findings of similarity were most impressive. Drinkers, abstainers and former drinkers were similar across racial-ethnic groups in their proportions of endorsement of given reasons for drinking, abstaining or ceasing to use alcohol. Although reasons for drinking varied across racial-ethnic groups, they varied much more across groups that differed in alcohol consumption independent of ethnicity, with all reasons for drinking being more often endorsed as consumption increased. In addition, the citation of more pathological reasons for drinking was associated with a greater number of drinking problems.