Screening for alcoholism among college students

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Higher Education

Background:

• Alcoholism is a significant public health concern.
• College student populations may exhibit unique patterns of alcohol use and abuse.
• Screening tools are essential for early identification of potential alcohol use disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of potential alcoholism among college students.
• To compare screening results between different types of college campuses.
• To highlight the need for further research into student alcoholism.

Main Methods:

• The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) was utilized.
• A sample of 245 students from two midwestern college campuses participated.
• Data was collected and analyzed to determine MAST scores.

Main Results:

• 29% of students at a small, private college campus scored above the threshold for possible alcoholism.
• 19% of students at a large state university campus scored above the threshold.
• Significant differences in screening results were observed between the two campus types.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest a notable prevalence of potential alcoholism in the studied college student population.
• Differences in prevalence rates between campus types warrant further investigation.
• The study underscores the importance of continued research and intervention strategies for student alcoholism.