JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, 11(1), 21–48 Copyright © 2001, Society for Research on Adolescence Ethnic Labels and Ethnic Identity as Predictors of Drug Use among Middle School Students in the Southwest Flavio Francisco Marsiglia and Stephen Kulis Arizona State University Michael L. Hecht Pennsylvania State University This article explores differences in the self-reported drug use and exposure to drugs of an ethnically diverse group of 408 seventh-grade students from a large city in the southwest. We contrast the explanatory power of ethnic la- bels (African American, non-Hispanic White, Mexican American, and mixed ethnicity) and two dimensions of ethnic identity in predicting drug use. One dimension focuses on perceived ethnically consistent behavior, speech, and looks, while the other gauges a sense of ethnic pride. Ethnic labels were found to be somewhat useful in identifying differences in drug use, but the two ethnic identity measures, by themselves, did not generally help to ex- plain differences in drug use. In conjunction, however, ethnic labels and ethnic identity measures explained far more of the differences in drug use than either did alone. The findings indicate that the two dimensions of ethnic identity pre- dict drug outcomes in opposite ways, and these relations are different for mi- nority students and non-Hispanic White students. Generally, African Amer- ican, Mexican American, and mixed-ethnicity students with a strong sense of ethnic pride reported less drug use and exposure, while ethnically proud White students reported more. Ethnic minority students who viewed their behavior, speech, and looks as consistent with their ethnic group reported more drug use and exposure, while their White counterparts reported less. These find- ings are discussed, and recommendations for future research are provided. Requests for reprints should be sent to Flavio F. Marsiglia, School of Social Work— DRS-AZ Project, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873711, Tempe, AZ 85287-3711. E-mail: marsiglia@asu.edu