The role of positive alcohol expectancies in underage binge drinking among college students

The Role of Alcohol Expectancies in the Association Between Behavioral Economic Alcohol Demand, Relative Reinforcement, and Alcohol Problems

Alcohol consumption and related problems are common among college students. Prior research links behavioral economic (BE) constructs of alcohol demand and relative reinforcement (RR), and alcohol expectancies, with alcohol consumption/problems. However, research has yet to examine the associations between BE, expectancy theory, and alcohol use outcomes. In this study, college students (n = 287) completed a single online survey assessing demand, RR, alcohol expectancies, and alcohol use/problems. We examined the cross-sectional indirect association of expectancies and drinking on the relationship between demand and alcohol problems and between RR and alcohol problems. The final model showed adequate fit, χ2(26) = 67.23, RMSEA = .07, CFI = .95, SRMR = .06. Higher demand and RR were associated with stronger alcohol expectancies, which demonstrated an indirect association on the relationship between demand, and RR, and alcohol problems. Findings suggest that demand and RR may be directly related to alcohol expectancies; a relationship that has not been previously identified. Moreover, alcohol expectancies may impact the associations among demand, RR, and alcohol problems. Thus, alcohol expectancies may be an important intervention target for reducing alcohol problems. Future longitudinal research is needed to evaluate this association over time and assess if these findings have potential impact for intervention research.

Psychometric properties and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of the Spanish version of the Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire Short Form among young adult binge drinkers

Background: Longitudinal Measurement Invariance (LMI) is critically important to evaluate changes in alcohol expectancies over time. However, past research has not explored the longitudinal properties of the Spanish Expectancy Questionnaire Short Form (EQ-SF).Objectives: To examine the reliability, sources of validity (structural, invariance across sex, and concurrent validity), and LMI of the Spanish EQ-SF among young adults who engage in binge drinking.Methods: Participants (n = 279; 48.4% female) completed the EQ-SF and, two months later, completed it again along with measures of alcohol use, drinking motives, and protective behavioral strategies (PBS). We performed confirmatory factor analysis for structural validity and measurement invariance analysis for longitudinal and sex stability.Results: The eight-factor intercorrelated model (i.e. social facilitation, fun, sexual disinhibition, tension reduction, antisocial effects, negative emotional states, negative physical effects, and cognitive impairments) provided the best fit (χ2(df) = 497.29(224), CFI = .962, RMSEA = .064, SRMR = .049). This model was invariant across sex and time. Reliability coefficients (Ordinal alpha) for each dimension were consistently strong at both time points (from .72 to .93 at T1 and .73 to .91 at T2). Positive alcohol expectancies at baseline were positively related to alcohol use and drinking motives and negatively related to PBS at follow-up, demonstrating predictive validity.Conclusion: Our results support the temporal invariance of the EQ-SF scores among Spanish young adults who engage in binge drinking. The evidence supports the suitability of this measure for accurately assessing changes in alcohol expectancies over time in interventions aimed at preventing binge drinking in young adults.

Correlates of college student use of protective behavioral strategies when drinking alcohol

Objective: The present study identified student characteristics associated with using protective behavioral strategies (PBS) to reduce harms when consuming alcohol. Participants: 224 college students who drink alcohol (66.5% female, 89.7% White non-Hispanic, Mage = 21.04) completed an anonymous study survey. Methods: Participants reported use of three PBSs: serious harm reduction; stopping or limiting drinking; and manner of drinking. They also reported sensation seeking, romantic involvement, parent-student alcohol communication, and attitudes toward alcohol in college life. Results: Attitudes toward alcohol in college life, Greek life participation, and sensation seeking were the variables most consistently associated with PBS use. Perceiving alcohol as an important part of college and sensation seeking were associated with less PBS use, but Greek life participation was associated with greater PBS use. Conclusions: Specific resources may be needed to encourage PBS use among high sensation seeking students and those who believe alcohol is a part of college life.

The role of positive affect in the association between stress and college student alcohol use

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations among stress, positive affect, binge drinking, and coping drinking motives.

PARTICIPANTS

Students (n = 351, M_age=19.7, 74.6% female) at a northeastern public university.

METHODS

Participants completed an online survey assessing perceived stress, frequency of experiencing positive emotions, frequency of binge drinking, and coping drinking motives.

RESULTS

Stress and positive emotions were not significantly related to frequency of binge drinking but were significantly correlated with coping motives for drinking. Regression analyses with all predictors, age, and gender in the model revealed the same: stress and positive emotion were not significantly related to binge drinking but were significantly related to coping motives. The interaction between stress and positive emotions predicting frequency of binge drinking or coping motives was nonsignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest the utility of exploring positive emotions in risk and resilience research focused on college student drinking and of targeting positive emotions to decrease students' coping-related alcohol use.

Energy drink expectancies among college students

ObjectiveSince the late '90 s, energy drink consumption has increased. The purpose of this investigation was to examine energy drink expectancies of college students. Participants: The university registrar randomly selected fifty university classes to be surveyed. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used to assess the prevalence of energy drink consumption and energy drink expectancies. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to ascertain which expectancies explained energy drink consumption. Results: The expectancy factors of 1,246 participants accounted for 25.8% of the variance in past 30-day energy drink consumption. Energy enhancement, anxiety/negative physical effects, withdrawal, and appetite suppression were each found to be significantly related to energy drink consumption. Conclusions: Energy enhancement and anxiety/negative effects were the strongest predictors of energy drink consumption among college students. The results from this study can be used to design interventions to challenge erroneous expectancies and reinforce others that promote moderation or abstinence.

Expectancies and Motives as Predictors of Risky Alcohol Consumption in College Women

Despite the consequences of alcohol use, it continues showing a high incidence among college students. Besides, the increasing presence of women in risk alcohol patterns calls for a gender-sensitive approach to design specific actions. Some variables have been analyzed as underlying alcohol consumption (expectations and motives). This paper assesses the type and influence of both variables on female university alcohol consumers at different levels of risk. Five hundred four college women were assessed using the Spanish adaptations of the Expectancy Questionnaire, the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised, and the AUDIT. We determine the unique contributions of expectancies, motives, and the presence of binge drinking (BD) to the pattern of risky drinking. The percentage of variance explained by risky drinking is 37.7%. Negative expectancies (20.4%) are the most explanatory variables, followed by enhancement motives (10.4%). Interventions with university women should focus on their negative expectancies, in addition to addressing for improvement, coping with depression, and conformity motives.

Weekly Drinking and Binge Drinking Mediate the Association Between Drinking Location and Sexual Coercion

It has been well documented that alcohol use is a risk factor for sexual assault. However, few studies have examined how alcohol use is associated with sexual coercion experiences. Furthermore, off-campus parties and bars are drinking locations where alcohol use is high among college students. It is important to determine other risk factors, such as the drinking location, that may affect alcohol use and sexual coercion. The current study examined whether alcohol use (drinks per week and binge drinking) mediated the association between drinking location frequency (off-campus party and bar/restaurant) and experiencing sexual coercion in the past 30 days. Participants were N = 295 young adult (M_age = 21.17 years, SD = 2.70) undergraduate women who reported drinking at least once in the past 30 days and completed an online survey. Results revealed that 88 (29.8%) participants experienced sexual coercion in the past 30 days. Participants who experienced sexual coercion in the past 30 days reported greater drinks per week, were more likely to binge drink, and reported drinking more frequently at off-campus parties than those who had not experienced sexual coercion. Drinks per week significantly mediated the relationship between drinking location frequency (off-campus party and bar/restaurant) and sexual coercion. Specifically, more frequent drinking at off-campus parties and bars/restaurants was associated with greater drinks per week, which in turn was related to experiencing sexual coercion in the past 30 days. Binge drinking significantly mediated the association between frequency of drinking at a bar/restaurant and sexual coercion, but not off-campus drinking frequency. Findings suggest that college student alcohol interventions that target harm reduction should consider including information about how the drinking location may intersect with alcohol use to increase risk for sexual coercion.

Greater loss of face and family honor values are associated with greater positive expectancies and substance abuse among Middle Eastern/Northern African U.S. college students

BACKGROUND

Traditional cultural orientation is protective against substance use for Asian Americans and Latinos. However, little empirical research has examined traditional cultural values and substance use among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) individuals. MENA cultures tend to emphasize maintaining family honor and personal social integrity, which may influence substance use cognitions and behavior.

OBJECTIVE

Test whether loss of face and family honor influenced risky alcohol/cannabis use via positive expectancies. We expected that greater loss of face and family honor values would predict lower positive expectancies and risky substance use.

METHODS

MENA college students (N = 246; 58.6% women) were recruited via Qualtrics Panels and completed an online survey. We tested path models, estimating direct and indirect effects of cultural predictors, adjusting for age, gender, generation status, marital status, and living situation. Substance use was modeled as risk categories (low- versus high-risk) and as count-type outcomes using zero-inflated models.

RESULTS

Greater family honor values predicted higher positive alcohol and cannabis expectancies (b = .24-.32, p < .001). Greater loss of face values also predicted more positive expectancies (b = .22-.24, p < .001). Mediation analysis generally indicated that cultural factors were indirectly associated with risky use via positive expectancies.

CONCLUSION

MENA college students' greater family honor and loss of face values are associated with greater alcohol and cannabis use, in part through positive expectancies. Cultural pressures may enhance the perceived benefits of alcohol and cannabis use. Substance use intervention programs should integrate MENA college students, and address family honor and loss of face as culturally-salient risk indices.

Distress Tolerance as a Mechanism Linking Violence Exposure to Problematic Alcohol use in Adolescence

Adolescents exposed to violence are at elevated risk of developing most forms of psychopathology, including depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse. Prior research has identified emotional reactivity and difficulties with emotion regulation as core mechanisms linking violence exposure with psychopathology. Scant research has examined behavioral responses to distress as a mechanism in this association. This study examined the association of violence exposure with distress tolerance-the ability to persist in the face of distress-and whether lower distress tolerance linked violence exposure with subsequent increases in depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse problems during adolescence. Data were collected prospectively in a sample of 287 adolescents aged 16-17 (44.3% male; 40.8% White). At Time 1, participants provided self-report of demographics, violence exposure, and psychopathology, and completed a behavioral measure of distress tolerance, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task. Four months later, participants (n = 237) repeated the psychopathology assessments. Violence exposure was associated with lower distress tolerance (β = -.21 p = .009), and elevated concurrent psychopathology (β = .16-.45, p = .001-.004). Low distress tolerance was prospectively associated with greater likelihood of abusing alcohol over time (OR = .63, p = .021), and mediated the association between violence exposure and greater levels (β = .02, 95% CI [.001, .063]) and likelihood (OR = .03, 95% CI [.006, .065]) of alcohol use over time. In contrast, low distress tolerance was not associated concurrently or prospectively with internalizing symptoms. Results persisted after controlling for socio-economic status. Findings suggest that distress tolerance is shaped by early experiences of threat and plays a role in the association between violence exposure and development of problematic alcohol use in adolescence.

The association between intended drinking contexts and alcohol expectancies in college students: A daily diary study

BACKGROUND

Because of the role alcohol outcome expectancies play in subsequent drinking, it is important to understand factors that can shape alcohol expectancies to guide intervention efforts. This study examined among college students whether intended social contexts for drinking were associated with positive and negative alcohol expectancies at the daily-level.

METHODS

Participants included in analyses were 323 students, ages 18 to 24 years, enrolled at a 4-year university in the Pacific Northwest. At four 2-week measurement bursts across one year, participants were asked each afternoon to report whether they planned to drink alcohol later that day. If so, they were further asked how much they intended to drink, whether they plan to drink alone or with others, whether they plan to drink at home or bar/party, and their positive and negative expectancies of alcohol use that evening.

RESULTS

A total of 2953 person-day observations from planned drinking days were used. Results from linear mixed models, adjusted for covariates including intended number of drinks, showed that students reported greater positive alcohol expectancies on days when they intended to drink with others vs. alone and intended to drink at a bar or party vs. at home. For negative expectancies, only intended drinking with others showed a statistically significant association.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that contextual factors may shape college students' expectancies about effects of alcohol at the daily-level. Intended drinking contexts may be important to address in event-level interventions to reduce high-risk drinking in young adults.

Alcohol Consumption among Freshman College Students in Spain: Individual and Pooled Analyses of Three Cross-Sectional Surveys (2005, 2012 and 2016)

Objective: We aimed to evaluate changes in the prevalence of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) and Risky Consumption (RC) in freshman college students between 2005, 2012 and 2016; and to identify the explanatory variables of these patterns of consumption using individual and pooled analyses. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 5260 students was carried out in Spain in 2005, 2012 and 2016. HED and RC were determined using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Another questionnaire was used to measure parental education level and alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, age of onset of alcohol use and alcohol-related expectancies. Adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) of RC and HED and their 95% Confidence Intervals were estimated using logistic regression. Results: An increase in the prevalence rates of HED and RC was observed among women during the three-study periods, nonetheless there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence rates among men. High maternal educational level, living away from parental home, initiating drinking before the age of 15 and having positive expectancies about drinking are associated with higher prevalence of RC in both genders. High positive expectancies and early onset of alcohol use are associated with higher rates of HED among men and women. Students recruited in 2012 and 2016 are protected against RC in comparison to those recruited in 2005. Conclusions: The age of alcohol consumption onset is the most influencing factor on HED and RC for both genders in the three-study periods. Alcohol prevention campaigns targeting youth at early ages can reduce risky drinking behaviors.

African American College Students' Drinking Behaviors and Their Relationship to Self-Efficacy and Positive or Negative Expectancies Regarding Alcohol Consumption

College students' alcohol consumption remains a significant concern for colleges and universities. However, most research overwhelmingly utilizes White samples from predominantly White universities, limiting knowledge of African American students' drinking behaviors on historically Black campuses. This study examined alcohol usage among African American college students by investigating relationships between alcohol consumption and positive and negative expectancies as well as self-efficacy. A convenience sample of 282 students was used. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) measured alcohol consumption and identified individuals whose consumption created hazardous drinking patterns. Alcohol expectancy was measured by the Alcohol Effects Questionnaire (AEQ), and the Spheres of Control Scale measured self-efficacy. Students in this sample tended to believe that alcohol consumption was linked with more negative than positive alcohol expectancy beliefs. Alcohol expectancies, specifically positive expectancies, appeared to play a significant role in predicting alcohol consumption. There was also a positive relationship between positive expectancies and alcohol consumption. Despite these results, our regression model was only able to account for about 20% of the variance (r² = 0.187). These findings are important in developing prevention and intervention programs to address the pervasive and critical social ills and reduce alcohol consumption among African American college students.

Psychological characteristics and eating attitudes in adolescents with drunkorexia behavior: an exploratory study

PURPOSE

Drunkorexia represents an emerging phenomenon that is still understudied especially among adolescents. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between drunkorexia and psychological characteristics relevant and commonly associated with existing forms of eating disorders.

METHODS

The sample was composed of 849 adolescents (513 boys, 334 girls, 2 unknown; range 14-22) who completed a survey composed of Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale and Psychological scales of the Eating Disorders Inventory-3.

RESULTS

Our findings highlighted that drunkorexia was associated with low self-esteem, personal alienation, interoceptive deficits, emotional dysregulation, and asceticism. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that difficulties with emotion regulation and ascetic tendencies were significant predictors of drunkorexia among adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest the importance for programs preventing drunkorexia to be focused on training adolescents in using more adaptive strategies to manage emotions and accepting both emotional and physical signals without feeling guilty or threatened.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, descriptive study.

Binge eating and binge drinking behaviors: the role of family functioning

Binge eating and binge drinking are two of the most common health-risk behaviors among young people showing to frequently co-occur in nonclinical samples of adolescent boys and girls. The present study examined the role of different dimensions of family functioning in binge behaviors among adolescents. One thousand and twenty young to late adolescents (507 girls and 517 boys) with ages ranging from 16 to 22 years participated in the study and completed a survey of self-report measures. Our findings showed that adolescents who binge eat and drink and adolescents who only binge eat perceived a lower quality of family functioning with lower levels of cohesion, flexibility, communication, satisfaction and higher degree of disengagement compared to adolescents who do not binge and adolescents who only binge drink. Only adolescents who engage in both binge behaviors reported higher levels of chaotic style compared to other binge groups. Furthermore, living in families poorly flexible, highly disengaged and with communication problems among members resulted as risk factors for binge eating behavior. Results suggest the importance for prevention programs to be based on an integrated approach focused on improving family environment such as the ability in changing family structure to deal effectively with developmental problems and defining clear home rules adolescents may stand on.

ADHD, depression, and substance abuse risk among beginning college students

Objective: This study examined differences in substance use, depression, and academic functioning among ADHD and non-ADHD college students. Participants: Included 1,748 students (ages 18-25; women 68.4%; Caucasian 71.3%) with and without history of ADHD. Methods: We assessed the relationship of ADHD to substance use variables, controlling for depressive symptoms and examined relationships with GPA. Results: ADHD students were more likely to have engaged in frequent alcohol use, binge drinking, regular marijuana use and to have used other drugs in the last year. They reported higher depression symptoms than non-ADHD students, although substance abuse risk remained high even when controlling for depressive symptoms. ADHD students had lower overall GPA than those without ADHD. However, this difference was no longer significant when controlling for depression and marijuana use. Conclusions: College campuses should consider programing aimed at identifying ADHD students at risk for developing substance abuse problems and emotional difficulties.

Alcohol Expectancies Moderate the Association Between School Connectedness and Alcohol Consumption

BACKGROUND

In this study, we investigate the moderated association of school connectedness and alcohol expectancies with adolescent drinking.

METHODS

Two large community samples were obtained with 2 repeated attempted censuses of all students attending a large suburban school district. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed substance use, alcohol expectancies, and school connectedness. We used logistic regression analyses on the training sample and confirmed with Bayesian test intervals with the test sample.

RESULTS

Party related alcohol expectancies and school connectedness interacted in their explanatory association with recent drinking and binging, such that school connectedness had a protective association only for youth with lower positive expectancies. These findings were the result of pre-planned exploratory analysis, which were confirmed with out-of-sample test data.

CONCLUSIONS

The potential benefits for student health behaviors resulting from improved school connectedness may be dependent on at least one dimension of alcohol expectancies, at the individual level.

Binge drinking: Prevalence, correlates, and expectancies of alcohol use among individuals with first-episode psychosis

AIM

This study examines the prevalence and correlates of binge drinking and its association with expectancies of alcohol use, within a sample of patients with first-episode psychosis enrolled in the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP) in Singapore's Institute of Mental Health.

METHODS

A total of 280 patients from the EPIP were recruited for an on-going longitudinal study examining cigarette smoking and alcohol habits. Only baseline data were used, pertaining to socio-demographics, alcohol use, clinical symptomology, quality of life, and expectancies of alcohol use.

RESULTS

Overall 23.9% (N = 67) reported ever binge drinking in their lifetime, and 11.4% (N = 32) had binged in the past 2 weeks. Controlling for all other socio-demographic and clinical factors, binge drinking was significantly associated with higher education levels, having children, current or past history of cigarette smoking, and lower negative symptom scores. Binge drinkers were also more likely to endorse statements relating to the themes of enhancement seeking (ie, using alcohol to alter or enhance experiences in a pleasurable way), coping with distress, and socializing-related expectancies of alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

Similar to past studies, the prevalence of binge drinking among our first-episode sample was relatively high. Our findings suggest certain lifestyle and social factors associated with risky drinking behaviour that future prevention efforts may address. Additionally, the three motivations of enhancement seeking, coping, and socializing also suggest psychological processes and coping styles that could be targeted for interventions.

Predictors of Responsible Drinking or Abstinence Among College Students Who Binge Drink: A Multitheory Model Approach

Context

Binge drinking is a salient problem on college campuses, with estimates as high as 40% of students engaging in it. Binge drinking is associated with numerous negative consequences among college students, such as suicide attempts, unsafe sex practices, property damage, and driving under the influence. Several behavioral approaches in this regard have had modest impact and only short-term effects, however.

Objective

To use the multitheory model (MTM) of health behavior change to predict initiation and sustenance of responsible drinking or abstinence among binge-drinking college students in a sample drawn from a large southern public university.

Methods

This cross-sectional survey study included a sample of college students who binge drank in the past 30 days. A 39-item face- and content-valid instrument was used. In addition, construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency reliability using the Cronbach α were established. Hierarchical regression modeling was used to build models.

Results

A total of 289 students participated. The Cronbach α for the scale and all subscales ranged from 0.81 to 0.94 and demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability. Construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis yielded 1-factor solutions for each of the subscales. On hierarchical regression modeling, gender (P=.05), race/ethnicity (P=.004), behavioral confidence (P=.029), and changes in physical environment (P=.001) were associated with intended initiation for drinking responsibly/abstinence behavior change. The addition of MTM constructs led to a significant increase in R2 of 0.20 (F3,194=18.1; P<.001). The sustenance constructs yielded a significant increase in R2 of 0.20 (F3,193=19.4; P<.001).

Conclusion

This study provides empirical justification for MTM constructs that can be used to inculcate the intention to drink responsibly or abstain among college students who binge drink. This predictive model may prove valuable in the design of interventions aiming to improve responsible drinking behavior in this population.

Specificity of expectancies prospectively predicting alcohol and marijuana use in adulthood in the Pittsburgh ADHD longitudinal study

Alcohol and marijuana use expectancies are presumed to be drug-specific, but prospective study of this assumption is lacking. In addition, these associations may operate differently for adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) histories, as expectancies have been found to be less associated with alcohol and marijuana use among this population. The first aim of the present study was to investigate whether associations between alcohol and marijuana expectancies and substance use were specific to the substances they assess. The second aim was to determine whether these associations differed as a function of ADHD history. Participants (N = 491; 281 ADHD, 210 non-ADHD) were young adults followed longitudinally between ages 21 to 23 and 29 as part of the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study (PALS). Autoregressive models were estimated separately for positive and negative expectancies for frequency of alcohol and marijuana use and compared between ADHD groups. Although there were exceptions, results generally support the specificity of associations between outcome expectancies and respective substance use both concurrently and prospectively, but this specificity was primarily present for those without a history of ADHD. These findings suggest that young adults perceive and respond distinctly to the effects of alcohol and marijuana, but a history of ADHD may interfere with this process. These findings also extend our prior cross-sectional findings that expectancies are less associated with alcohol and marijuana use for individuals with ADHD histories. Additional research examining implicit cognitions is needed to further examine risk for substance use among those with ADHD histories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking Among Young Adults Aged 20-30 Years in Lisbon, Portugal

BACKGROUND

Over the past decade, the changes to the pattern of alcohol consumption in Portugal, in particular among young people with heavy episodic drinking (binge drinking), are well documented. However, there are limited studies in individuals aged between 20 and 30 years, which is an important period of transition into adulthood where binge drinking can negatively influence the resolution of developmental tasks. Therefore, this study aims at analyzing the pattern of alcohol consumption and binge drinking among young adults aged between 20 and 30 years living in the municipality of Lisbon.

METHODOLOGY

This is a quantitative, descriptive correlational study using a convenience sample composed of 259 individuals. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for data collection.

RESULTS

Among the sampled subjects, 19.3% of them reported being nondrinkers. Among the alcohol-drinking subjects (N = 209), 61.3% reported binge drinking behaviors. We found a higher percentage of binge drinkers among vocational training students than among university students, as well as a relatively higher percentage of women. In both cases, we found no statistically significant differences. Within the total sample, 10.8% reported hazardous or harmful consumption, with men showing greater hazardous consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Although approximately one fifth of the sampled subjects reported being nondrinkers, the percentage of binge drinkers in this study was significantly higher than that reported in other studies. We also found that binge drinking is more common among vocational training students, although this difference was not statistically significant. Further studies are needed on this age group and in nonacademic settings.

"It Just Kind of Happens": College Students' Rationalizations for Blackout Drinking

Nearly half of college students engage in binge drinking, and blackouts (i.e., episodes of periodic memory loss) represent one common consequence of this behavior. Although researchers have begun to understand the extent to which students black out, little is known about why they do so. We conducted two studies to further our understanding of this risky health behavior. In Study 1, we conducted face-to-face interviews (N = 19) to explore students' blackout experiences. Our findings suggest that students recognize that blacking out is an unhealthy behavior; however, because such a recognition contradicts group norms about alcohol consumption, it causes them to experience dissonance, which they manage via a variety of rationalization strategies. We investigated these findings more systematically through an online survey in Study 2, in which students (N = 254) reported on their own and others' beliefs and behaviors about blacking out. Our results indicate that many of the rationalization strategies students identified in Study 1 were grounded in fallacious reasoning. We discuss the collective implications of these findings for future interventions addressing students' excessive drinking behaviors.

Drunkorexia: Disordered eating behaviors and risky alcohol consumption among adolescents

The first goal of our study was to examine the differences on disordered eating and alcohol consumption among heavy, occasional restrictors, and non-restrictors in a sample of 823 adolescents. The second goal was to analyze the relation of drunkorexia between unhealthy eating and alcohol use. Our results showed that heavy restrictors reported more eating disorder symptoms and alcohol use than occasional restrictors and non-restrictors. Similarly, occasional restrictors showed more unhealthy eating and drinking behaviors than non-restrictors. Both disordered eating and alcohol use were significant predictors of drunkorexia, supporting the argument of drunkorexia as an overlapping of dysfunctional eating and drinking patterns.

Predicting Young Adults Binge Drinking in Nightlife Scenes: An Evaluation of the D-ARIANNA Risk Estimation Model

OBJECTIVES

Binge drinking (BD) among young people has significant public health implications. Thus, there is the need to target users most at risk. We estimated the discriminative accuracy of an innovative model nested in a recently developed e-Health app (Digital-Alcohol RIsk Alertness Notifying Network for Adolescents and young adults [D-ARIANNA]) for BD in young people, examining its performance to predict short-term BD episodes.

METHODS

We consecutively recruited young adults in pubs, discos, or live music events. Participants self-administered the app D-ARIANNA, which incorporates an evidence-based risk estimation model for the dependent variable BD. They were re-evaluated after 2 weeks using a single-item BD behavior as reference. We estimated D-ARIANNA discriminative ability through measures of sensitivity and specificity, and also likelihood ratios. ROC curve analyses were carried out, exploring variability of discriminative ability across subgroups.

RESULTS

The analyses included 507 subjects, of whom 18% reported at least 1 BD episode at follow-up. The majority of these had been identified as at high/moderate or high risk (65%) at induction. Higher scores from the D-ARIANNA risk estimation model reflected an increase in the likelihood of BD. Additional risk factors such as high pocket money availability and alcohol expectancies influence the predictive ability of the model.

CONCLUSIONS

The D-ARIANNA model showed an appreciable, though modest, predictive ability for subsequent BD episodes. Post-hoc model showed slightly better predictive properties. Using up-to-date technology, D-ARIANNA appears an innovative and promising screening tool for BD among young people. Long-term impact remains to be established, and also the role of additional social and environmental factors.

Trends in alcohol use among young people according to the pattern of consumption on starting university: A 9-year follow-up study

AIM

To identify differences in Risky Consumption (RC) and Binge drinking (BD) trends in students who already followed these patterns of alcohol consumption on starting university and those who did not, and also to try to understand what leads students to engage in these types of behaviour at university.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cohort study among university students in Spain (n = 1382). BD and RC were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at ages 18, 20, 22, 24 and 27 years. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to calculate the adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs).

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of RC and BD were lower throughout the study in students who did not follow these patterns of consumption at age 18. For RC and BD, the differences at age 27 years, expressed as percentage points (pp), were respectively 24 pp and 15 pp in women and 29 pp and 25 pp in men. Early age of onset of alcohol use increased the risk of engaging in RC and BD patterns at university, for men (OR = 2.91 & 2.80) and women (OR = 8.14 & 5.53). The same was observed in students living away from the parental home for BD (OR = 3.43 for men & 1.77 for women). Only women were influenced by having positive expectancies for engaging in RC (OR = 1.82) and BD (OR = 1.96).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence rates of both RC and BD at age 27 years were much higher among university students who already followed these patterns of consumption at age 18 years, with the differences being proportionally higher among women. Focusing on the age of onset of alcohol consumption and hindering access to alcohol by minors should be priority objectives aimed at preventing students from engaging in these patterns of alcohol consumption at university.

Use of alcohol and other drugs among male university students and its meanings

OBJECTIVE

To understand the meanings that male university students assign to the condition of users of alcohol and other drugs.

METHOD

An exploratory study using a qualitative approach, with inductive analysis of the content of semi-structured interviews applied to 20 male university students from a public university in the southeast region of Brazil, grounded on the theoretical-methodological referential of interpretive anthropology and ethnographic method.

RESULTS

Data were construed using content inductive analysis for two topics: use of alcohol and/or drugs as an outlet; and use of alcohol and/or other drugs: an alternative for belonging and identity.

CONCLUSION

Male university students share the rules of their sociocultural environment that values the use of alcohol and/or other drugs as a way of dealing with the demands and stress ensuing from the everyday university life, and to build identity and belong to this social context, reinforcing the influence of culture.

OBJETIVO

Compreender os significados atribuídos pelos universitários do sexo masculino à condição de usuários de álcool e outras drogas.

MÉTODO

Estudo exploratório de abordagem qualitativa, com análise de conteúdo indutiva de entrevistas semiestruturadas de 20 universitários do sexo masculino, matriculados em uma universidade pública da região sudeste do Brasil, fundamentado no referencial teórico-metodológico da Antropologia Interpretativa e do método etnográfico.

RESULTADOS

Os dados foram interpretados com a análise de conteúdo indutiva em dois temas: O uso do álcool e/ou drogas como válvula de escape; O uso do álcool e/ou outras drogas: alternativa para o pertencimento e para a identidade.

CONCLUSÃO

Os universitários do sexo masculino compartilham normas de seu meio sociocultural, que valorizam o uso de álcool e/ou outras drogas, como uma forma de lidar com as exigências e o estresse da vida universitária, criar uma identidade e ter pertencimento neste contexto social, reforçando a influência da cultura.

Students worry about the impact of alcohol on quality of life: Roles of frequency of binge drinking and drinker self-concept

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to clarify the impact of binge drinking, its intensity and frequency, and drinker self-concept on health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) in students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional online survey included 16,930 students. We collected sociodemographics, environmental data, and drinking behaviors. We assessed HRQOL using the Alcohol Quality-of-Life scale, which explicitly explores the subjective negative impact on quality of life one attributes to his relationship with alcohol and the degree to which drinking is a part of an individual's self-concept. Data analyses were performed in 2015 and 2016. We described and compared binge drinkers and non-binge drinkers. Using a regression model we identified the independent factors associated with HRQOL.

RESULTS

The impact on HRQOL attributed to alcohol was significantly greater among binge drinkers. Factors of impact on HRQOL subjectively attributed to alcohol by students were: AUDIT-C score, interaction between gender and AUDIT-C score, strong individual identity as a drinker, binge-drinking frequency, financial difficulties, being a foreigner, fewer years since diploma, chronic condition, recent use of cannabis, psychostimulant, poppers or gambling. Sleep quality, ability to work, expenditure on alcohol, shame, and health-related concerns were the most strongly impacted quality of life areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Binge-drinking frequency should be considered as an important target in prevention programs. In addition, integrating findings on students' subjective perceptions of impairment of HRQOL by alcohol could enable the development of more acceptable and more relevant prevention messages.

Alcohol expectancies and drinking behaviors among college students with disordered eating

OBJECTIVE

The authors investigated binge drinking, alcohol expectancies, and risky and protective drinking behaviors in relation to disordered eating behaviors in male and female college students.

PARTICIPANTS

The full sample consisted of 7,720 undergraduate students, 18 to 22 years of age. Drinking behaviors were analyzed in 4,592 recent drinkers.

METHODS

Participants anonymously completed a survey as part of a universal alcohol abuse prevention program between September 2007 and April 2008.

RESULTS

Co-occurring disordered eating behaviors and binge drinking characterized 17.1% of males and 19.0% of females. Rates of binge drinking were higher in those with disordered eating behaviors. Students with disordered eating behaviors also had more positive and negative alcohol expectancies and engaged in more risky and fewer protective drinking behaviors than their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Students with disordered eating behaviors have outcome expectancies and behavior patterns associated with problematic drinking. These findings may enhance prevention and intervention programs.

Predicting Alcohol Misuse Among College Students in the US and South Korea

This study examines contributing factors of alcohol misuse among college students in South Korea and the U.S. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) on measurements of alcohol expectancy, alcohol efficacy, and accommodation resulted in social and personal causes for alcohol misuse. Social causes alone predicted alcohol misuse for both countries. Social factors constituted a much stronger predictor of alcohol misuse among South Korean students than among American students. Practical implications for effective deterrence of student binge drinking are discussed.

Alcohol Outcome Expectancies and Regrettable Drinking-Related Social Behaviors

AIMS

Research has shown that alcohol outcome expectancies are predictive of heavy alcohol consumption, which can lead to risky behavior. The purpose of the present study was to assess the incidence of various low-risk social behaviors while drinking among college students. Such social behaviors may later be regretted (referred to as regrettable social behaviors) and include electronic and in-person communications.

METHODS

College students (N = 236) completed measures of alcohol outcome expectancies and regrettable social behaviors.

RESULTS

Regrettable social behaviors were reported by 66.1% of participants, suggesting that they may occur at a much higher rate than more serious drinking-related consequences (e.g., drinking and driving, violence, etc.). Expectancies for social facilitation predicted regrettable social behavior. Further, this relationship was mediated by amount of alcohol consumed.

CONCLUSION

Given the high incidence, regrettable social behaviors may be effective targets in alcohol prevention programming.