Predicting alcohol consumption during the month before and after beginning college

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Addiction Research
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• Underage drinking is a significant issue in college settings, particularly among adjudicated students.
• Understanding predictors of alcohol consumption is crucial for developing effective interventions.
• This study focuses on drinking patterns before and after college entry among students with prior alcohol policy violations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of drinking in the month before and after starting college.
• To examine changes in drinking behavior between these two periods.
• To inform targeted individual and university-wide strategies for addressing underage drinking.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 143 adjudicated college students was interviewed using the Time-Line Follow-Back method.
• Data on drinking days and drinks per drinking day were collected.
• Nine backward elimination regression analyses were performed to identify significant predictors.

Main Results:

• Age of first intoxication was a significant predictor across all drinking measures.
• Men reported higher drinking volumes than women.
• Roommate drinking levels, out-of-state status, and high school rank were associated with specific drinking patterns.

Conclusions:

• Interventions for adjudicated students should consider age of first intoxication and roommate drinking levels.
• Dorm-wide interventions may be effective.
• Prioritizing high school rank over SAT scores in college admissions could lead to reduced underage drinking.