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OVERVIEW of COLLEGE STUDENT DRINKING Nancy
H. Brand, M.Ed. Doctoral Student in Clinical
Psychology University of Rhode Island
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College Students defined herein as full-time
students between the ages of 18-24 attending 2 or
4-year colleges or universities
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SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM

• Nationwide, 44 of college students engage in
  heavy episodic drinking or binge drinking
  defined as

MEN as 5 or more drinks in a row over the past 2
weeks WOMEN 4 or more drinks in a row over the
past 2 weeks

• Since 1980, estimates of heavy drinking have
  remained stable between 40-45 percent of college
  students.
• College students drink more than than same age
  noncollege peers
• (source www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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JUST WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE??
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Heaviest Drinkers tend to be

• Males
• whites
• members of fraternities and sororities
• athletes
• first-year students
• (source www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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Students who drink the least are likely to attend

• 2-year institutions
• religious schools
• commuter schools
• historically Black colleges and universities
• source www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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INDIVIDUAL FACTORS AFFECTING DRINKING BEHAVIOR

• Genetic and biological predisposition to use
  alcohol
• Family history of alcohol and drug use
• Personality factors (e.g., sensation seeking and
  impulsivity)
• Belief systems (e.g. you cant have fun without
  alcohol)
• Expectations about the Effects of Alcohol (e.g.,
  drinking will make me more sociable and
  attractive to others) (source
  www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING DRINKING BEHAVIOR

• Geographical Location
• Size of student body
• Importance of Athletics on Campus
• Availability of Alcohol in surrounding community
• (source www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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SO WHAT! WHATS THE BIG DEAL??
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THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL AND THE DEPT. OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES HAVE DECLARED THAT HEAVY
DRINKING IS THE NUMBER ONE HEALTH PROBLEM
AFFECTING COLLEGE STUDENTS (source
www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)
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Alcohol-Related Consequences

• DEATH 1400 college students die in
  alcohol-related accidents a year
• ASSAULT 600,000 students are assaulted by others
  who are under the influence of alcohol
• INJURY 500,000 students are unintentionally
  injured because of heavy drinking
• SEXUAL ABUSE 70,000 students are victims of
  alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape
• (source www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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APPROXIMATELY 55 of STUDENTS WHO ABSTAIN or
DRINK IN MODERATION ARE AFFECTED BY SOMEONE
ELSES DRINKING such as

• being humiliated or assaulted
• having property damaged
• experiencing unwanted sexual advance
• (source www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

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SO WHATS BEING ABOUT THIS?
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THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE and
ALCOHOLISM (NIAAA) TASK FORCE ON COLLEGE STUDENT
DRINKING EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO CHANGE THE
CULTURE OF COLLEGE STUDENT DRINKING BY TARGETING
1. The college and its surrounding community 2.
The student population as a whole 3.
Individuals, including at-risk or
alcohol-dependent drinkers (source
www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)
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PROMISING INTERVENTIONS The college and its
surrounding community (environmental strategies)

• Provide Alcohol-free options for recreational,
  social and cultural events and venues
• Restrict alcohol availability and advertising on
  and off-campus
• Social Norms Correction
• Develop and enforce campus policies and and
  local, state and federal laws
• (source DeJong Langford, 2002)

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PROMISING INTERVENTIONS GROUP and INDIVIDUAL
SESSIONS

• Expectancy challenge procedures
• Brief motivational feedback interviews
• Alcohol skills training
• (source DeJong Langford, 2002)

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LESS EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS

• Standard Alcohol Awareness Education Programs
  (e.g., alcohol awareness weeks, freshman
  orientation, and curriculum infusion where
  faculty introduce alcohol-related factors and
  issues into courses)
• Values Clarification Programs

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• RATIONALE
• Harm reduction (vs. abstinence)
• Strategies to encourage students to drink in
  moderation in order to avoid the consequences of
  risky drinking
• In other words, help students enjoy the good
  things about drinking (socializing, having fun)
  while avoiding the bad things about drinking
  (hangovers, DUIs, unplanned sex)

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WHAT CONSTITUTES MODERATE DRINKING?
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BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS (BAL) lt .055 (legal driving
limit (.08) in most states)
Biphasic effect of Alcohol Stimulating effects
up to .055 (approximately 1-2 drinks for women
and 2-3 for men over several hours depending on
weight) . Most people report feeling relaxed and
happy at these levels. Depressant effects beyond
.055 (3 or more and 4 or more for men depending
on weight). These lead to impaired judgement,
motor coordination, as well as hangovers and
other unwanted consequences
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Biphasic effect of Alcohol

• Happy
• Outgoing
• Energetic

.055
gt.10
BAL levels
.055

• Hangovers
• Missing class or work
• Sex w/ scary people

Feelings/effects
BAL(F)
BAL(M)
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MODERATION

• YOU AVOID
• hangovers
• embarrassment
• weight gain
• pressure from family/schoo about grades
• long-term health consequences
• tolerance and heavy drinking
• regrettable sexual encounters

• YOU GAIN
• Save
• maintain control
• maintain desired academic performance
• Maintain healthy relationships with others

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STRATEGIES FOR MODERATED DRINKING

• Eat before drinking (can cut BALs up to 50!!
• Space your drinks
• Alternate alcoholic drinks w/ non-alcoholic
  drinks
• avoid drinking games
• experiment with drinking less and refusing drinks
  
• drink reduced alcohol beer instead of stronger
  spirits
• drink slower

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FACT or MYTH Heavy drinking is the norm on
most college campuses
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• Believe it or not.
• Moderate drinking is the norm on nearly all
  campuses!!! (55-60 of college students drink in
  moderation.
• The average female college student drinks 5/week
• The average male college student drinks 10/week.
• IN both cases, BAL levels are about .05 per week.
  
• FURTHERMORE, students drinking in these ranges
  report very few-- if any alcohol related
  consequences!

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PART 2 HOW TO EVALUATE THIS INFORMATION WHEN
IT SEEMS LUDICROUS