overview of college student drinking nancy h. brand, m.ed. doctoral student in clinical psychology

OVERVIEW of COLLEGE STUDENT DRINKING

Nancy H. Brand, M.Ed.

Doctoral Student in Clinical PsychologyUniversity of Rhode Island

“College Students”

defined herein as full-time students between the ages of 18-24 attending 2 or 4-year

colleges or universities

SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM

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

• 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)

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

JUST WHO ARE WE TALKING

ABOUT HERE??

Heaviest Drinkers tend to be:• Males

• whites

• members of fraternities and sororities

• athletes

• first-year students


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)

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 can’t 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)

•Geographical Location

•Size of student body

• Importance of Athletics on Campus

•Availability of Alcohol in surrounding community(source: www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov)

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

AFFECTING DRINKING BEHAVIOR

SO WHAT!

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL??

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


• 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


Alcohol-Related Consequences

Alcohol-Related Consequences (cont.)

•Academic Performance: 25% report academic consequences as a result of drinking such as missing class, performing poorly on exams and papers, and falling behind

•Health problems: 150,000 develop health related problems

•Unsafe sex: 400,000 students had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students reported being too drunk to know if they consented to sex


APPROXIMATELY 55% of STUDENTS WHO ABSTAIN or DRINK IN

MODERATION ARE AFFECTED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S DRINKING such as:

• being humiliated or assaulted

• having property damaged

• experiencing unwanted sexual advance


SO WHAT’S BEING ABOUT THIS?

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 it’s surrounding community

2. The student population as a whole

3. Individuals, including at-risk or alcohol-dependent drinkers


• 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)

PROMISING INTERVENTIONS:

The college and its surrounding community (environmental

strategies)

•Expectancy challenge procedures

•Brief motivational feedback interviews

•Alcohol skills training

(source: DeJong & Langford, 2002)

PROMISING INTERVENTIONS:

GROUP and INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS

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

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)

WHAT CONSTITUTES MODERATE DRINKING?

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS (BAL) < .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

.055•Happy•Outgoing•Energetic

•Hangovers•Missing class or work

•Sex w/ scary people

BAL levels

Feelings/effects

.055 >.10

BAL(F) BAL(M)

Biphasic effect of Alcohol

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

STRATEGIES FOR MODERATED DRINKING

• Eat before drinking (can cut BAL’s 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

FACT or MYTH:

Heavy drinking is the norm on most college campuses

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!

PART 2:

HOW TO EVALUATE THIS INFORMATION

WHEN IT SEEMS LUDICROUS

overview of college student drinking nancy h. brand, m.ed. doctoral student in clinical psychology

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