The socio-ecological context of U.S. college student drinking: A latent class analysis

U.S. college student drinking typologies often consider quantity and frequency but not the socio-environmental contexts in which students obtain alcohol and drink. Understanding context could be important for preventive interventions.

We used latent class analysis (LCA), a person-centered approach to understanding behavior patterns, to identify drinking typologies among 1390 college student drinkers from a representative survey at two interconnected private colleges in the Northeast. Classes were derived from drinking frequency and quantity as well as how students obtain alcohol, where they drink, and their perceptions of peer drinking. Resulting classes were correlated with demographic and developmental characteristics, participation in campus activities and connectedness, and alcohol consequences and protective behaviors.

Four distinct drinking profiles emerged. 'Tasters' (n = 290) included infrequent and low quantity drinkers who drank in dorms with alcohol provided by others. 'Bargoers' (n = 271) included low quantity and moderate frequency drinkers who purchased their own alcohol and drank at bars. 'Partiers' (n = 483) included moderate frequency and quantity drinkers who obtained alcohol from several sources and drank in many locations. 'Bingers' (n = 345) included high frequency and quantity drinkers and binge drinkers, who drank in many locations with alcohol obtained from multiple sources. Classes differed in demographics, age of first drink, campus activities and connectedness, alcohol protective behaviors, and alcohol problems.

Heterogeneous patterns of drinking based on quantity, frequency and social/environmental context emerged and suggested the need for different tailored interventions.