Today’s emerging adults belong to one of the most diverse generations in the United States and show the highest rates of alcohol and illicit drug misuse, facing significant health risks. Thus it is critical to develop effective interventions to reduce alcohol and illicit substance misuse and its related harms among this diverse group. This chapter examines the current literature on the development and effectiveness of existing culturally relevant substance use disorder treatments and makes recommendations for future research and best practices. We argue that given their unique needs, the severity of their substance use, and the low rates of treatment engagement among this population, it is critical that treatment efforts focus on increasing effective treatment access to all emerging adults. We further encourage substance use disorder treatment researchers and practitioners to move beyond addressing culture-bound intervention targets focused on specific cultural groups. The chapter advocates for the development, testing, and adoption of interventions that are responsive to cultural contexts and that (1) target social determinants of health, (2) are equally effective with privileged and marginalized emerging adults, and (3) prepare therapists to effectively deliver interventions to diverse groups and demonstrate cultural competence.
The Longitudinal Associations Between Outness and Health Outcomes Among Gay/Lesbian Versus Bisexual Emerging Adults
