Discrimination experiences are associated with having greater positive alcohol expectancies in sexual minorities (Hatzenbuehler, Corbin, & Fromme, 2008b), which may be related to beliefs that alcohol can reduce the negative affect associated with stigma-related stressors. Future research should examine whether particular kinds of alcohol expectancies (e.g., tension reduction, “liquid courage,” negative self-perceptions) are especially likely to develop among those experiencing stigma-related stressors in order to provide a better understanding of how stigma-related stress might influence the development of higher alcohol expectancies among sexual minorities.
