Dr. Robert Rosales’s recent publication in JMIR outlines an innovative study designed to better understand how daily experiences of discrimination and stress influence alcohol use among Latinx sexual minority youth, a population that remains largely understudied despite facing elevated health risks.

Underage alcohol use continues to be a significant public health concern in the United States, with nearly half of adolescents reporting lifetime alcohol consumption. Sexual minority youth are known to be at higher risk for early alcohol initiation and alcohol-related problems, often linked to the stress of stigma and discrimination. At the same time, emerging evidence suggests that Latinx youth may be increasingly vulnerable to high-risk drinking behaviors, particularly when exposed to discrimination. However, little research has examined how these risks intersect among youth who identify as both Latinx and a sexual minority.

The study uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a method that collects data in real time through brief surveys delivered via mobile device, to capture participants’ daily experiences as they naturally occur. The research will follow Latinx and non-Latinx White sexual minority youth ages 15 to 19, assessing exposure to minority stressors, social contexts such as school and home, emotional states, and alcohol use. By moving beyond retrospective reports, the study aims to clarify how momentary stress and affect may increase or in some cases buffer risk for alcohol use.

Grounded in Minority Stress Theory and intersectional perspectives, the research seeks to address competing hypotheses in the field. One suggests that Latinx sexual minority youth may experience compounded risk due to multiple marginalized identities, while another highlights potential resilience rooted in cultural and social protective factors. Findings from this study are expected to provide critical insight into when, where, and for whom minority stress translates into alcohol use risk.

By illuminating real-time mechanisms linking discrimination and alcohol use, this research aims to inform more precise, culturally responsive prevention strategies for sexual and ethnoracial minority adolescents and to guide future public health interventions. We thank Dr. Robert Rosales for his important contributions to this work and his commitment to improving health outcomes for sexual and ethnoracial minority youth.