Examining the relationship between typical drinking behavior and 21st birthday drinking behavior among college students: implications for event‐specific prevention

ABSTRACT. Objective: Despite high rates of college cannabis use, little work has identified high-risk cannabis use events. For instance, Mardi Gras (MG) and St. Patrick's Day (SPD) are characterized by more college drinking, yet it is unknown whether they are also related to greater cannabis use. Further, some campuses may have traditions that emphasize substance use during these events, whereas other campuses may not. Such campus differences may affect whether students use cannabis during specific events. The present study tested whether MG and SPD were related to more cannabis use at two campuses with different traditions regarding MG and SPD. Further, given that Campus A has specific traditions regarding MG whereas Campus B has specific traditions regarding SPD, cross-campus differences in event-specific use were examined. Method: Current cannabis-using undergraduates (N = 154) at two campuses completed an online survey of event-specific cannabis use and event-specific cannabis-related problems. Results: Participants used more cannabis during MG and SPD than during a typical weekday, typical day on which the holiday fell, and a holiday unrelated to cannabis use (Presidents' Day). Among those who engaged in event-specific use, MG and SPD cannabis use was greater than typical weekend use. Campus differences were observed. For example, Campus A reported more cannabis-related problems during MG than SPD, whereas Campus B reported more problems during SPD than MG. Conclusions: Specific holidays were associated with more cannabis use and use-related problems. Observed between-campus differences indicate that campus traditions may affect event-specific cannabis use and use-related problems. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 76, 190-194, 2015)

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Event-Specific Cannabis Use and Use-Related Impairment: The Relationship to Campus Traditions

Buckner

Henslee

Jeffries

2015

“…Event-specifi c drinking among students has been associated with hangovers, vomiting, blackouts, driving after drinking, and injury (Glassman et al, 2010;Lewis et al, 2009). Alcohol-related offenses following college football games are particularly noteworthy, being associated with arrests for drinking and driving, disorderly conduct, and liquor law violations (Rees and Schnepel, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Event-Specific Drinking in the General Population

Kushnir

Cunningham

2014

ABSTRACT. Objective: It has been well established that college students engage in heavy drinking during specifi c social events; however, within the general population, evidence of event-specifi c drinking has been largely indirect. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the temporal variability in daily alcohol consumption in the winter holiday months among residents of a large metropolitan area. Method: A random-digit-dialing telephone survey was conducted of residents who drank alcohol at least once per month. During a 5-week period beginning December 1, 2009, the number of drinks consumed on each day within the past week was collected for 578 participants. Results: Weekly variation in alcohol consumption peaked on Fridays and Saturdays and was particularly high on Christmas and New Year's Eve. Mean drink consumption was signifi cantly higher on Christmas and New Year's Eve compared with most weekends within the sampling period. Conclusions: The present fi ndings provide the fi rst direct evidence, with temporal specifi city, that alcohol consumption within the general population is highly event specifi c. Targeted intervention strategies similar to those used within college student samples may be appropriate for reducing or preventing alcohol-related harmful events on a population level. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 75, 968-972, 2014)

“…Parks et al, 2008). However, inexperienced drinkers may be at relatively greater risk of negative alcohol consequences after controlling for the amount consumed (Lewis et al, 2009;Simons et al, 2010). For example, Neal and Carey (2007) found that the positive daily relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and number of alcohol consequences reported that day was moderated by typical drinking level.…”

Section: Drinking Experience and Consequences Of Alcohol Consumptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Naturally Occurring Changes in Women's Drinking From High School to College and Implications for Sexual Victimization

Testa

Hoffman²

2012

ABSTRACT. Objective: The current study examined the natural trajectories of alcohol use among women as they transitioned from high school to college, considering changes in drinking for students at initially different levels of drinking. We examined the hypothesis that the association between college drinking and sexual victimization would be stronger for women with less high school drinking experience. Method: Female, college-bound, high school seniors were recruited from the community at the time of graduation (N = 437). Alcohol consumption and sexual victimization were assessed at the time of high school graduation (Time 0 [T0]) and at the end of the fi rst (T1) and second (T2) semesters of college. Results: Abstainers and light drinkers increased alcohol consumption from T0 to T1; however, consumption by those already engaging in heavy episodic drinking remained stable. Consumption did not increase for any group from T1 to T2. As expected, maximum consumption in college was strongly associated with experiencing incapacitated rape or other sexual victimization during the same semester; however, prior drinking experience did not moderate the relationship. Conclusions: Occasions of heavy drinking in college are a signifi cant risk factor for sexual victimization for both experienced and inexperienced drinkers. Findings point toward universal prevention, ideally before college entry, as a strategy for reducing heavy episodic drinking and hence, college sexual victimization. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 73, 26-33, 2012)