Social Context of Drinking among Georgia Southern University Students

Public Health Student [B.S.P.H.], Georgia Southern University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the social context of drinking among college students. Drinking at college is major public health problem and has become a custom that students viewed it as a part of higher-education experience (NIH, 2013). The research design used was a quantitative, descriptive, non-experimental, one-shot study in which the 23-question survey measured the attitudes of Georgia Southern University students (n=185). The sampling methodology conducted in this research was a non-probability, sample of convenience. Descriptive statistics reported by frequencies and percentiles. Data analysis showed that students reportedly drinking most frequently in the context of social facilitation as compared to other social context scales. Under social facilitation, 57.8% student drinkers drink “on a weekend nights” and 55.1% drink “to have a good time.” For emotional pain, 17.3% of students use alcohol “to forget about academic problems” while 14.4% is “to forget personal problems.” Recommendations include programs that will educate students to make responsible decisions regarding alcohol and alcohol consumptions in different drinking situations. In conclusion, social context of drinking provides a clearer image for explaining the patterns of drinking of college students by knowing where, when, why, and with whom they are drinking.

Background

Purpose The purpose of this study was

to investigate the social context of drinking among college students.

MethodsThe research method for the study was quantitative, descriptive, non-experimental, one-shot study (n=185).

Sampling methodology conducted in this research was non-probability, sample of convenience.

The target population for this research was community residents 18 years and older.

Data collection was conducted at Georgia Southern University.

Consensual Content Validity was established for the instrument (cite source)Internal Consistency Reliability was determined by Cronbach Alpha of 0.87.

Results

Conclusion/RecommendationsDrinking at college is major public health problem and has become a custom that students viewed it as a part of higher-education experience (NIH, 2013). More than 80 percent of the college students reportedly drinks alcohol and almost half are binge drinking (NIH, 2013). Changes in social environment is one of the biggest challenge that students entering college faces. The problem with college drinking is not the drinking itself, but its negative consequences. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1,825 college students ages between 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, more than 690,00 students are assaulted by students who has been drinking, 97,000 are victims of sexual assault or date rape, 599,000 receive unintentional injuries while under the influence, and 25 percent of college students report academic consequences ranging from missing class, falling behind schoolwork, doing poorly on exams, and receiving lower overall grades (2013).

Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health: www.jphcoph.georgiasouthern.edu

The research conducted in Georgia Southern University showed that students reportedly drink most frequently in the context of social facilitation as compared to other social context scales. Under social facilitation, 57.8% student drinkers drink “on a weekend nights” and 55.1% drink “to have a good time.” For emotional pain, 17.3% of students use alcohol “to forget about academic problems” while 14.4% is “to forget personal problems.” As for sex seeking social context, 10.8% are most likely to use alcohol “to reduce their inhibition” (to increase sexual behavior) and 8.1% is “to build up courage to talk to some of the opposite sex.” Regarding to motor vehicle, only 5.4% (n=10) admit drinking alcohol “while driving or riding in the car to another night spot.”

Colleges, universities, and health education professionals have an obligation to address the drinking behaviors of college students as these may contribute to a sequential academic and/or personal problems. Prevention to address this problem may be challenging for college student drinkers because they might already have a perception linking alcohol with socializing and having a good time. Building programs will educate students to make responsible decisions regarding alcohol and alcohol consumptions in different drinking situations and teaching them variety of nonalcoholic alternative for entertainment. The researcher would change the following regarding the study and research design: gather a larger sample size that would be more representative of the population, add specifics on the instrument about problems related to alcohol drinking and determine if students met standard psychiatric criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis for an alcohol use disorder (either dependence or abuse). Lastly, obtain more equivalent distribution of the demographics in regards to age, gender, and race.

Instrument

Participants