In our sample, rates of parental separation were higher in the AA (66%) compared to EA (40%) samples, consistent with prior research showing higher rates of marital instability among African American families compared to European American families.46 Our results may partly reflect differing perceptions of parental separation among African American youth. In addition, research shows that residing in single-parent households is associated with an elevated risk for alcohol initiation in White girls but not in Black girls.47 These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive understanding of how familial stressors shape the longitudinal course of alcohol misuse in diverse populations, particularly in view of ethnic and racial differences in children’s responses to family stressors.48
