The etiology of these race/ethnicity differences is not well characterized and additional research is needed to identify the characteristics elevating the risks of earlier drinking initiation and faster transition to dependence for Whites or those attenuating the risks for other groups. Some studies suggest that these racial and ethnic disparities may be partially explained by differences in social and cultural norms. A study by Caetano and Clark (1999) found that both Black and Hispanics reported more conservative alcohol norms and attitudes when compared to Whites. Additionally, multiple studies have found that religiosity is higher among Blacks than Whites (Brown et al., 2001; Donahue and Benson, 1995; Neff and Hoppe, 1993; Taylor et al., 1999). Religiosity has consistently been shown to have an inverse relationship with alcohol use, with those reporting higher levels of religiosity being less likely to initiate alcohol use, consuming fewer drinks per occasion, and reporting fewer alcohol-related problems (Benda, 1997; Brown et al., 2001; Donahue and Benson, 1995; Patock-Peckham et al., 1998). For Hispanics in the United States, acculturation has been identified as a risk factor. A
