Kiran Waraich L&S Social Sciences
Beyond Expectancies: Substance Use Evaluation and Intersectionality
College students are at a critical risk period for the emergence of a substance use disorder (SUD), showing the highest rates of alcohol and cannabis consumption of any age group. Standard prevention efforts by researchers often assert that negative consequences from substance use will deter students from further use; however, not all students interpret these consequences as equally negative. An understudied aspect of this equation is the evaluation of anticipated outcomes as positive or negative occurrences at different intersections of identity, which may shape substance-related decisions and outcomes. Thus, this project aims to examine how the evaluation of anticipated alcohol and cannabis outcomes shapes patterns of use and consequences among intersections of race, gender, and age. My hope with this SURF project is to clarify how evaluations grounded in intersectionality inform culturally relevant prevention efforts for vulnerable subpopulations during a crucial period for SUD.
Message To Sponsor
I sincerely thank you for making my summer research aspirations possible! Substance use prevention, consequences, and treatment are areas of psychological interest that are noteworthy to study, yet can be difficult to investigate. Your donation has played a major role in enabling me to engage in my topic and address critical gaps in our field.