Alcohol policies on college campuses

Assessing the implementation of evidence-based alcohol policies on Atlantic Canadian post-secondary campuses: A comparative analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the quality of campus alcohol policies against best practice to assist campus decision-makers in strengthening their campus alcohol policies and reducing student alcohol use and harm.

METHODS

Drawing on empirical literature and expert opinion, we developed an evidence-based scoring rubric to assess the quality of campus alcohol policies across 10 alcohol policy domains. Campus alcohol policy data were collected from 12 Atlantic Canadian universities. All extracted data were verified by the institutions and then scored.

RESULTS

On average, post-secondary institutions are implementing only a third of the evidence-based alcohol policies captured by the 10 domains assessed. The average campus policy score was 33% (range 15‒49%). Of the 10 domains examined, only enforcement achieved an average score above 50%, followed closely by leadership and surveillance at 48%. The two heaviest-weighted domains-availability and access, and advertising and sponsorship-had average scores of 27% and 24%, respectively. However, if post-secondary campuses adopted the highest scoring policies from across all 12 campuses, they could achieve a score of 74%, indicating improvement is possible.

CONCLUSION

Atlantic Canadian universities are collectively achieving less than half their potential to reduce student alcohol-related harm. However, this study identifies opportunities where policies can be enhanced or modified. The fact that most policies are present at one or more campuses highlights that policy recommendations are an achievable goal for campuses. Campuses are encouraged to look to each other as models for improving their own policies.

Assessing Campus Alcohol Policies: Measuring Accessibility, Clarity, and Effectiveness

BACKGROUND

Excessive alcohol consumption poses significant hazards to health and safety on college campuses. While substantial research exists regarding effective policies for preventing alcohol-related problems in the communities surrounding campuses, on-campus alcohol policies have received far less attention.

METHODS

Official campus alcohol policies (CAPs) were retrieved from the websites of the 15 member schools of the Maryland Collaborative to Reduce College Drinking and Related Problems, a voluntary statewide collaborative. CAPs were assessed for accessibility, clarity, and effectiveness. In addition to assessing whether campuses were in compliance with federal regulations for comprehensiveness of policies, a measure of likely policy effectiveness was developed through the use of 2 Delphi panels drawing on alcohol policy researchers and on-campus and community practitioners, respectively. The panels rated 35 potential policies and 13 possible sanctions; lists of policies and sanctions were compiled primarily from what was already in existence at 1 or more member schools.

RESULTS

For most campuses, the CAPs could be located within 30 seconds, but tended to be spread across multiple web pages. Language used to communicate the policies tended to be complex and above the reading level of someone with a high school education. At least half of the schools had less than half of the possible policies rated most or somewhat effective by the Delphi panels. Schools were more likely to employ the most effective sanctions, but somewhat and ineffective sanctions were also not uncommon.

CONCLUSIONS

CAPs are an important element in reducing negative consequences of alcohol consumption on college campuses. A higher level of research scrutiny is warranted to understand the extent to which CAPs are associated with excessive drinking, but this research describes an evidence- and expert-informed assessment approach that colleges can use to regularly analyze and update their CAPS.

The Role of Institutional Factors on On-Campus Reported Rape Prevalence

Sexual assault is a serious concern on college and university campuses across the United States. However, the institutional factors that may make campuses more or less prone to rape are poorly understood. This study utilizes routine activities theory (RAT) to examine campus-related factors across 524 four-year campuses in the United States to determine what features of a campus community are most closely associated with increased reports of sexual assault. Results suggest that the type of athletic program, the number of students who live on campus, and the institution's alcohol policy were all found to be related to reported sexual assaults. Implications for understanding campus communities and prevention of sexual assaults are discussed.

Pregaming, Drinking Duration, and Movement as Unique Predictors of Alcohol Use and Cognitions Among Mandated College Students

BACKGROUND

Pregaming is a common phenomenon among college students and is associated with increased risks such as heavy drinking, alcohol-related consequences, and violating campus alcohol policies. However, the mechanism by which pregaming increases student risk is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to delineate the role of personal endorsement of pregaming, duration of an entire drinking episode on the night of an alcohol violation, and movement from one location to another in predicting alcohol use and violation-related cognitions.

METHODS

Participants (N = 113) were college students who had received an alcohol violation. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to investigate the predictive value of pregaming endorsement, duration of drinking, and movement on drinking behaviors [number of drinks consumed and estimated blood alcohol content (eBAC)] on the night of the alcohol violation as well as violation-related cognitions (responsibility, aversiveness).

RESULTS

Pregaming and duration of drinking were significant predictors of alcohol consumption and eBAC on the night of the violation, whereas movement was not. Duration of the drinking episode was significantly related to increased perceived responsibility for the alcohol violation.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE

Self-reported pregaming and the duration of the drinking episode appear to be better targets than movement for prevention and intervention efforts addressing pregaming on college campuses. Interventions should continue focusing on reducing pregaming and its associated consequences, especially for those who report a longer duration of drinking following a pregaming episode.

Drinking Location and Pregaming as Predictors of Alcohol Intoxication Among Mandated College Students

BACKGROUND

Both drinking location and pregaming have been associated with heavy alcohol use among college students, yet the manner by which they uniquely contribute to alcohol intoxication remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined the unique utility of drinking location and pregaming in predicting alcohol intoxication among college students who violated campus alcohol policy.

METHOD

Between 2011 and 2012, mandated college students who reported drinking prior to their referral events (N = 212, 41% female, 80% White, Mage = 19.4 y) completed a computerized assessment of drinking location and related behaviors as part of larger research trial. Chi-squared statistics, t-tests, one-way analyses of covariance, and regression were used to examine study aims.

RESULTS

Participants were most likely (44%) to report drinking in off-campus housing prior to the referral event, and approximately half (47%) reported pregaming. Alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral event differed significantly as a function of both drinking location and pregaming, but pregaming did not moderate the association between drinking location and alcohol intoxication among mandated students. Female birth sex, pregaming, and drinking at either fraternities or off-campus housing predicted greater levels of alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral incident, while drinking in a residence hall/dorm predicted lower intoxication.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE

Drinking location and pregaming are distinct predictors of alcohol intoxication among mandated college students. Future interventions may benefit from targeting both where and how college students consume alcohol.

Current Alcohol Use is Associated with Sleep Patterns in First-Year College Students

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine whether differences exist in self-reported sleep patterns and self-reported alcohol use for first-semester college students who do or do not report drinking during the last 6 months (mo) of high school.

METHODS

Participants were 878 first-year college students. Students completed a survey in late May/early June about alcohol use and consequences, during the last 6 mo of high school; they later completed a daily record of sleep behavior and alcohol use across the first 9 weeks of the first semester of college. High school drinking status (past 6 mo) was classified as positive (HS-6 mo+) or negative (HS-6mo-) based on any indication of drinking on the May/June survey. Collegiate drinking was determined from first-semester daily diary alcohol reports as non-drinkers (0 reported drinks), drinkers (one or fewer heavy episodic drinking episodes (HED)), and drinkers reporting more than one HED episode. Sleep patterns were compared for non-drinkers, drinkers, and HED with no high school drinking history (HS-6mo-/HED). In addition, a separate analysis compared sleep patterns for college HED with (HS-6mo+/HED) and without (HS-6mo-/HED) high school self-reported alcohol use.

RESULTS

Increased alcohol consumption in the first semester of college was associated with later bedtimes and rise times. We found no association of high school alcohol use and sleep in those with collegiate HED.

CONCLUSIONS

Later sleep timing in those with greater alcohol use, supports a connection between sleep patterns and alcohol use. Such an early appearance of this connection may herald the development of alcohol use disorder in some individuals.

Screening services for alcohol misuse and abuse at four-year colleges in the U.S

We examine the prevalence of screening for student alcohol misuse/abuse among 333 U.S. colleges via a survey of campus leaders. We also use latent class modeling to identify classes of colleges based on screening practices. We found that most colleges conduct screening after a student is involved in an alcohol-related incident, and about 50% of colleges screen students at regular health care visits. Legal, health care, and housing staff are trained in screening at nearly all colleges; other key personnel were trained at about one third of colleges. We identified four classes of colleges: 62% of colleges fit in a class that had many screening components in place, 9% in a class with very limited services, and the remainder (29%) fit in 2 middle classes. Although most colleges had many alcohol misuse/abuse screening components in place, more than one third show need for improvement in how, where, and when screening is conducted.

The effectiveness of alcohol policies in 4-year public universities

The objective of this study was to evaluate the type of alcohol policy in place in 4-year public universities against the odds of heavy drinking. Data was collected during the months of April-June 2010 using the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. The participants included a random sample of undergraduate students from 4 public universities in the Midwest. Two of the universities had policies in place allowing the sale and use of alcohol on campus, and 2 universities had policies in place prohibiting the sale and use of alcohol. There were a total of 186 participants which included 63 males and 123 females. There was statistical significance in gender, age, and participation in sports against the odds of heavy drinking (P < .05). The type of policy in place was not significantly associated with the odds of heavy drinking. Even though there was an association between gender, age, and participation in sports with the odds of heavy drinking among college students in this sample, the type of alcohol policy (wet or dry) had no association. The results demonstrate the need for the implementation of alcohol prevention strategies, in addition to policy, to reduce the number of college students who drink heavily. It may be beneficial to target those alcohol intervention programs to the high risk groups such as males, over the age of 21, and those students who participate in sports.

Alcohol prevention strategies on college campuses and student alcohol abuse and related problems

This study examined the relationship between colleges' alcohol abuse prevention strategies and students' alcohol abuse and related problems. Alcohol prevention coordinators and first year students in 22 colleges reported whether their schools were implementing 48 strategies in six domains, and students (N = 2041) completed another survey concerning their use of alcohol and related consequences. Colleges were most likely to prevent alcohol use in public places on campus and the delivery and use of kegs. Four alcohol prevention domains were inversely associated with at least one of five outcomes related to student alcohol abuse or related consequences, and the alcohol policy and enforcement domain was inversely associated with all outcomes. Colleges should pay particular attention to strategies related to policy and enforcement.

Challenges and recommendations to enforcement of alcohol policies on college campuses: an administrator's perspective

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine challenges and recommendations (identified by college administrators) to enforcing alcohol policies implemented at colleges in the southeastern United States.

METHODS

Telephone interviews were conducted with 71 individuals at 21 institutions.

RESULTS

Common challenges included inconsistent enforcement, mixed messages received by students, and students' attitudes toward alcohol use. The most common recommendations were ensuring a comprehensive approach, collaboration with members of the community, and enhanced alcohol education.

Enforcing alcohol policies on college campuses: reports from college enforcement officials

We assessed alcohol enforcement practices at 343 U.S. colleges via surveys of directors of campus law enforcement. We measured types and frequency of enforcement and barriers to enforcement. We found that 61% of colleges indicated nearly always proactively enforcing alcohol policies, with most frequent enforcement at intercollegiate sporting events and least frequent enforcement at fraternity/sorority events. Approximately half of the enforcement departments work closely with their local law enforcement agency but respondents indicated a greater need for cooperation with local law enforcement. Half of the respondents reported no barriers to alcohol enforcement on campus. Large colleges and public colleges tended to report greater enforcement levels. While many campuses report proactive alcohol enforcement, several areas of improvement in alcohol enforcement at colleges are indicated.

College student perceptions on campus alcohol policies and consumption patterns

Environmental strategies for colleges and universities to reduce alcohol consumption among their students include the development and enforcement of campus alcohol policies. This study examines students' knowledge and attitudes toward campus alcohol policies and how they relate to alcohol consumption and alcohol social norms. A sample of 422 freshman students was surveyed during their first month at a 4-year public college. Findings indicated that the majority of students (89%) were aware of campus policies, yet of those who were aware, less than half (44%) were accepting of these campus rules and regulations. In addition, the majority (79%) of students drank at social events, despite this behavior being in direct violation of campus alcohol policies. However, those who supported campus rules consumed significantly less alcohol at social events than those who opposed or had no opinion of the rules. Also, those who supported the rules perceived that their peers and students in general consumed significantly less alcohol at social events than those who were opposed or had no opinion. This outcome supports the premise established by several theories of behavior change including the theory of planned behavior, which state that behavior is influenced less by knowledge than by attitude and intention.

Attendance at alcohol-free and alcohol-service parties and alcohol consumption among college students

OBJECTIVE

To examine attendance at alcohol-service and alcohol-free parties among college students, and to compare alcohol consumption on nights of these parties.

METHOD

A random sample of 556 students (38.6% male) completed a web survey that measured past-semester alcohol use, alcohol-service party attendance, alcohol-free party attendance, and alcohol consumed on the nights of recent parties.

RESULTS

Participants were twice as likely to attend alcohol-service parties as they were to attend alcohol-free parties (90% vs. 44%). First-year students and Black students were more likely than other students to attend alcohol-free parties. Alcohol use was higher in students who attended alcohol-service parties but there were no differences in levels of alcohol use between students who attended alcohol-free parties and those who did not. Pre-gaming was more prevalent, but the number of drinks and intoxication were lower on nights of alcohol-free parties than on nights of alcohol-service parties.

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of association between attendance at alcohol-free parties and alcohol use indicates both heavy and light drinkers attend these parties. The lower drinking and intoxication on alcohol-free party nights suggests alcohol-free programming should be investigated to determine if it may reduce alcohol use on college campuses.

Fraternity drinking as edgework: an analysis of perspectives on risk and control

Using theories on group identity and voluntary risk taking, data gathered through seven focus groups involving 43 fraternity members were analyzed to understand the ways in which the members construct the problems of and solutions to excessive drinking. Control emerged as a metaconcept that is both an undercurrent and interconnection to the expressed opinions. The possession and practice of control discriminated three levels of in-group versus out-group membership. Perspectives on solutions were predicated upon the perceived risk of lack of control and intergroup dynamics. Implications on intervention and policy efforts are discussed.

Fraternity and sorority involvement, social influences, and alcohol use among college students: a prospective examination

This study used latent growth curve modeling to investigate whether the effects of gender and Greek involvement on alcohol use and problems over the first 2 years of college are best characterized by selection, socialization, or reciprocal influence processes. Three social influences (alcohol offers, social modeling, and perceived norms) were examined as potential mediators of these effects. Undergraduate participants (N = 388) completed self-report measures prior to enrollment and in the spring of their freshmen and sophomore years. Male gender and involvement in the Greek system were associated with greater alcohol use and problems prior to college. Both gender and Greek involvement significantly predicted increases in alcohol use and problems over the first 2 years of college. Cross-domain analyses provided strong support for a mediational role of each of the social influence constructs on alcohol use and problems prior to matriculation, and prematriculation social modeling and alcohol offers mediated relations between Greek involvement and changes in alcohol use over time. Findings suggest that students, particularly men, who affiliate with Greek organizations constitute an at-risk group prior to entering college, suggesting the need for selected interventions with this population, which should take place before or during the pledging process.

Alcohol-related incident guardianship and undergraduate college parties: enhancing the social norms marketing approach

This randomized experiment examines the effects of contextual information on undergraduate college student's levels of alcohol-related incident guardianship at college parties. The research is conceptualized using routine activities theory and the theory of planned behavior. The experiment examines attitudinal variations about heavy drinking differentiated by sex, athletic status, and location of the drinking event. The sex and athletic status variables produce statistically effects on the dependent variables, while location of the drinking event is not significant. The article concludes by discussing the importance of context as it pertains to the social norms marketing strategy utilized in much college alcohol programming, and suggests a more directed marketing approach.