Fraternity and sorority involvement, social influences, and alcohol use among college students: A prospective examination.

Abstract

This study used latent growth curve modeling to investigate whether the effects of gender and Greek involvement on alcohol use and problems over the first 2 years of college are best characterized by selection, socialization, or reciprocal influence processes. Three social influences (alcohol offers, social modeling, and perceived norms) were examined as potential mediators of these effects. Undergraduate participants (N = 388) completed self-report measures prior to enrollment and in the spring of their freshmen and sophomore years. Male gender and involvement in the Greek system were associated with greater alcohol use and problems prior to college. Both gender and Greek involvement significantly predicted increases in alcohol use and problems over the first 2 years of college. Cross-domain analyses provided strong support for a mediational role of each of the social influence constructs on alcohol use and problems prior to matriculation, and prematriculation social modeling and alcohol offers mediated relations between Greek involvement and changes in alcohol use over time. Findings suggest that students, particularly men, who affiliate with Greek organizations constitute an at-risk group prior to entering college, suggesting the need for selected interventions with this population, which should take place before or during the pledging process. Keywords alcohol; fraternity; sorority; selection; longitudinal Over the past decade, collegiate alcohol use and misuse has garnered a great deal of attention in both the popular media and the scientific community. Much of this attention has focused on heavy episodic drinking, typically defined as consuming five or more drinks (sometimes adjusted to four or more for women) on a single occasion. Roughly 40% of college students, including close to half of men, drink in this manner at least once every 2 weeks, a pattern that historically is slightly higher than same-age noncollege-attending peers and that has remained fairly consistent for more than 2 decades

The role of feminine and masculine norms in college women’s alcohol use.

“…These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that individuals who are involved with Greek sorority life, as well as individuals who perceive their peers to be drinking more, are at greater risk for engaging in heavy alcohol use themselves (Borsari, Murphy, & Barnett, 2007;Capone, Wood, Borsari, & Laird, 2007). Studies have consistently noted the relationship between Greek life and heavy drinking, reporting that members of sororities and fraternities report heavier drinking than non-members, perhaps because the social environment within the Greek system facilitates heavy drinking among its members (Sher, Bartholow, & Nanda, 2001), and because drinking and partying are importance aspects of membership (Wechsler, Kuh, & Davenport, 2009).…”

“…Studies have consistently noted the relationship between Greek life and heavy drinking, reporting that members of sororities and fraternities report heavier drinking than non-members, perhaps because the social environment within the Greek system facilitates heavy drinking among its members (Sher, Bartholow, & Nanda, 2001), and because drinking and partying are importance aspects of membership (Wechsler, Kuh, & Davenport, 2009). Greek involvement is also predictive of increases in alcohol use and alcohol-related problems during the first few years of college, not only because of social influences, but also because of social modeling and availability of alcohol (Capone, Wood, Borsari, & Laird, 2007), as well as peer perception of alcohol use and acceptability of heavy drinking (Larimer, Turner, Mallett, & Geisner, 2004). One recent study noted that almost all members of Greek life drink, finding that across universities, approximately half of all sorority house residents were frequent binge drinkers (Wechsler, Kuh, & Davenport, 2009).…”

“…In addition to multidimensional gender norms, the study included two well-established correlates of drinking among underage women: sorority status and perceived peer alcohol use, to determine whether gender norm conformity explained alcohol use and alcohol-related 8 problems above and beyond these variables (Borsari, Murphy, & Barnett, 2007;Capone, Wood, Borsari, & Laird, 2007). Based on previous research, we hypothesized that the masculine norms that serve as risk and protective factors for men would act equivalently for women.…”

Daily Relationship Between Event-Specific Drinking Norms and Alcohol Use: A Four-Year Longitudinal Study

“…However, whether there is a relationship between norm perception and drinking over time is unclear. Some studies show no such relationship (Capone et al, 2007), whereas others do fi nd a modest effect of norms on drinking (Cullum et al, 2010;Reifman et al, 2006).…”

Effects of Residential Learning Communities on Drinking Trajectories During the First Two Years of College

“…In the context of college drinking, incoming students who intentionally seek out living arrangements or peer groups that facilitate their preexisting drinking patterns is an example of selection. By contrast, changes in student drinking patterns that result from exposure to living arrangements or peers are examples of socialization (Capone et al, 2007). For example, Capone et al surveyed incoming students before matriculation and again in the spring of their freshman and sophomore years and found that fraternity/sorority membership predicted higher levels of prematriculation alcohol use and problems and a greater increase in alcohol use and problems during the fi rst 2 years of college.…”