Perceived peer norms and alcohol use among college students in China

Descriptive peer drinking norms and binge drinking: Enhancement motives as a mediator and alcohol resistance self-efficacy as a moderator

The association between descriptive norms regarding peer drinking and college students’ binge drinking has been established; however, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship among first-and second-year college students remain minimally explored. Drawing on social norms theory, motivational model of alcohol use, and the theory of normative social behavior, the current study investigated whether enhancement drinking motives mediated the relationship between descriptive norms regarding peer drinking and college students’ binge drinking, and whether this relationship was moderated by alcohol resistance self-efficacy. Five hundred and nineteen first-and second-year college students (M_age = 19.19 years, SD = 0.98) who were from four universities and had at least one time of heavy episodic drinking during the last year completed self-report questionnaires. After controlling for sex, age, and university variable, stronger descriptive norms regarding peer drinking were positively associated with a greater frequency of binge drinking. Enhancement drinking motives partially mediated the effects of descriptive peer drinking norms on binge drinking. Furthermore, alcohol resistance self-efficacy moderated the direct effects of descriptive peer drinking norms on binge drinking. Compared with college students who reported high alcohol resistance self-efficacy, the direct effects of descriptive peer drinking norms on binge drinking were stronger among students with low alcohol resistance self-efficacy. These findings point to the potential value of alcohol intervention approaches including efforts to help first-and second-year college students change enhancement drinking motives and increase their ability of resisting drinks in the context of pervasive peer drinking.

Understanding alcohol-specific antecedents among Chinese vocational school adolescents

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use among Chinese vocational school students is widespread and associated with many negative consequences. However, alcohol-specific antecedents for this population are understudied.

OBJECTIVES

The current study explored: (a) which alcohol-specific antecedents are the most salient predictors for alcohol use intentions, (b) whether any mediational relationships exist among these alcohol-specific antecedents, and (c) whether gender-based differences exist among these relationships.

METHODS

This study analyzed data from 1,230 vocational school adolescents in three Chinese cities. Survey data were analyzed using dominance analysis and structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Personal norms were the most salient antecedents for alcohol use intentions, followed by injunctive norms from friends and parents, descriptive norms from friends and classmates, and positive belief about drinking. We observed a statistically significant mediational chain from descriptive norms to injunctive norms, and in turn to personal norms and positive beliefs, and finally to alcohol use intentions. Gender moderated some of the paths.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol use norms and beliefs among Chinese vocational school students have distinct predictive relationships with alcohol use intentions. Alcohol use prevention programs designed for this population need to address normative beliefs (descriptive, injunctive, and personal norms) and the perceived benefit of alcohol use.

Comparison of drinking prevalence among Thai youth before and after implementation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act

BACKGROUND

Underage drinking contributes to numerous health and social problems among adolescents. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, issued in Thailand in 2008, contains several clauses aiming at preventing underage and novice drinking, such as raising the minimum legal purchasing age from 18 to 20, banning alcohol sale and consumption in places frequented by youth, and banning alcohol advertisements.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the changes in the prevalence of alcohol consumption and perceptions of drinking norms among high-school students 8 years after the Act was implemented.

METHODS

Data from the Thai national high-school surveys in 2007 (N = 50,033; 49.9% female) and 2016 (N = 38,535; 49.8% female), using similar questionnaires, were analyzed. Prevalence rates and group norms toward drinking were compared between the two surveys, using weighted Poisson regression and prevalence ratios.

RESULTS

Drinking prevalence significantly increased in females, with prevalence ratios ranging from 1.2 for 30-day intoxication to 2.1 for 30-day binging. In males, the 12-month drinking prevalence increased in 2016, but a non-significant change for binge drinking and a 40% decrease for intoxication was seen. Higher proportions of students in 2016 perceived that most of their friends also drank alcohol compared to students in 2007 (16.8% vs. 11.2%; 49.8% increase). A significant effect of the year of survey on drinking patterns was seen across all school levels.

CONCLUSION

Drinking rates decreased among males, but increased in females. These changes may be somewhat due to the Act, or to changes in the social environment in Thailand over this 8-year period.

Self-reported campus alcohol policy and college alcohol consumption: a multilevel analysis of 4592 Korean students from 82 colleges

BACKGROUND

Campus alcohol policy has been associated with student alcohol consumption in numerous studies. However, more information is required to assess the extent to which school policy affects student drinking behavior; especially when both individual-level sociodemographic characteristics of students and area-level characteristics of college campuses are controlled for. Thus, this paper explores the association between campus alcohol policy and student alcohol consumption among a nationally representative sample of college students in South Korea, while controlling for both individual and area-level characteristics.

METHODS

We surveyed and analyzed the data of 4592 students from 82 colleges. Multilevel (hierarchical) linear modeling was used to identify the association between campus alcohol policy and alcohol consumption levels, measured via the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption). Controlled individual-level characteristics included sex, year level, major, GPA (grade point average), pocket money, smoking status, stress level, depressive thoughts, suicidal thoughts, and number of clubs/organizations. Controlled area-level characteristics included college type, number of students, number of faculty members, number of workers/administrators, and region.

RESULTS

Compared to students unaware of their school's campus alcohol policy, students who self-reported that their campuses allow drinking in outdoor spaces (β = 0.755 p = 0.010) or in all areas (β = 0.820, p = 0.044) had higher AUDIT-C scores. Students attending schools with a large number of students, males, freshmen, students with low GPA, students with high amounts of pocket money, and smokers also had higher alcohol consumption scores relative to their peers. Alcohol education experience in the form of lectures, mail, and/or campaigns were not associated with student alcohol consumption levels.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest an association between self-reported campus alcohol policy and student alcohol consumption. College educators and administrators must be aware that relative to students unaware of their school's campus alcohol policy, students at colleges that allow drinking in outdoor spaces or all areas consume higher amounts of alcohol than their peers; even when area-level factors are controlled for.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Yonsei IRB (IRB number: Y-2017-0084). https://irb.yonsei.ac.kr Date of registration: 01/2017. Date of enrolment of first participant to trial: 03/01/2017. Y-2017-0084.