Changes in Alcohol Consumption Among College Students Due to COVID-19: Effects of Campus Closure and Residential Change

Abstract

It is well established that college students increase their drinking when they leave home. This study examined changes in drinking as a result of campus closure due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), focusing on the influence of living situation. Method: A sample of 312 college students (mean age = 21.2 years; 62% female; 67% White) responded to an online survey regarding their drinking behavior before and after university closures because of COVID-19. Those participants who lived with peers pre-closure and moved home to live with parents post-closure were compared with those who remained living with peers or remained living with parents in terms of changes in frequency and quantity of drinking. Results: A comparison of pre-to post-closure drinking indicated significant decreases in the typical num-ber of drinks per week (from 11.5 to 9.9) and maximum drinks per day (from 4.9 to 3.3) and a slight increase in typical drinking days per week (from 3 to 3.2). Patterns of change significantly varied across groups. Those who moved from peers to parents showed significantly greater reductions in drinking days (from 3.1 to 2.7), number of drinks per week (from 13.9 to 8.5), and maximum drinks in one day (from 5.4 to 2.9) than those who remained living with peers or with parents. In contrast, the latter two groups significantly increased their frequency (from 3.0 to 3.7 days and 2.0 to 3.3 days, respectively). Conclusions: Participants reduced their quantity of drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning to live with parents during emerging adulthood may be protective for heavy drinking.

COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol consumption: Impacts and interconnections

“…Other interesting examples may be the decrease of alcohol consumption in college students, after the campus closure, the main explanation being that they got back home, to live with their families, with less social events and binge drinking [ 46 , 47 ].…”

Health behaviors of German university freshmen during COVID-19 in association with health behaviors of close social ties, living arrangement, and time spent with peers

“…temporary closing of restaurants, fitness centers, bars and pubs). Consistently, evidence suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, university students’ food consumption habits have become healthier (Duong et al, 2020 ), physical activity increased (Romero-Blanco et al, 2020 ), and alcohol use decreased (White, Stevens, Hayes, & Jackson, 2020 ). Also, our sample may eventually exhibit worsened health behaviors as a result of leaving the parental home, but these changes may not happen early in the first semester (Small et al, 2013 ).…”

Changes in Alcohol Use and Drinking Context due to the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Multimethod Study of College Student Drinkers

“…In contrast, drinking frequency was higher when drinking with parents versus alone or with friends. Our group recently demonstrated that moving from living with peers to parents following COVID‐related campus closure was associated with reductions in quantity and frequency of consumption (White et al, 2020a,b). The present work builds on this earlier study by examining additional indices of drinking and providing a much more comprehensive examination of context, both physical and social, as well as examining reasons for changes in drinking.…”