Heavy Episodic Drinking Among University Students: Drinking Status and Perceived Normative Comparisons

Abstract

The present study tests the perceived norms hypothesis in relation to different levels of heavy episodic drinking (HED) among university students. In 2007, 303 students from residence halls and the School of Psychology at the University of Wollongong, Australia, completed a questionnaire about their alcohol consumption and associated attitudes and behaviors. Between-groups analyses of variance (ANOVAs) revealed significantly higher AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) scores among students in higher-frequency HED groups. Students who engaged in HED tended to underestimate their own drinking when comparing themselves with others. Improving the accuracy of perceptions about one's own drinking in relation to others (normative information) may help reduce levels of HED among students.

Alcohol consumption and associated harms among university students in Australia: Findings from a cross‐sectional study

“…Studies between 2012 and 2017 which reported prior 12-month alcohol consumption among university students showed that consumption remained relatively high, between 70% and 90%. [3][4][5][6]13 The prevalence of alcohol consumption among the cohort in the present study is comparable and remains high with 82% of students reporting alcohol consumption in the past 12 months and 50% consuming alcohol at levels above the AAG for lifetime risk of harm (more than two standards drinks on any day). These findings are consistent with those from previous Australian studies 5,13,18 and reinforce recommendations for appropriately resourced, tailored interventions, in the university setting which integrate harm reduction strategies with comprehensive local policy that incorporates alcohol pricing strategies, reduced availability and marketing 13,[18][19][20][21] to combat an alcogenic environment and positive norms towards high levels of alcohol consumption among young students.…”

“…Studies between 2012 and 2017 which reported prior 12 month alcohol consumption among university students showed that consumption remained relatively high, between 70% and 90%. [3][4][5][6]13 Prevalence of alcohol consumption among the cohort in the present study is comparable and remains high with 82% of students reporting alcohol consumption in the past 12 months and 50% consuming alcohol at levels above the AAG for lifetime risk of harm (more than two standards drinks on any day).…”

“…2 This is similar to Australian university studies which have reported that between 70% and 90% of students consumed alcohol in the past 12 months. [3][4][5][6] In Australia, the health and societal costs of alcohol harms are estimated to be about $14 billion. 7 The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Alcohol Guidelines to reduce health risks (AAG) recommend consuming no more than two standard drinks on any day to reduce the risk of alcohol-related disease or injury over lifetime, or no more than four standard drinks on any occasion to reduce risk of injury or death on that occasion.…”

Screening and Brief Interventions for Hazardous and Harmful Alcohol Use among University Students in South Africa: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…This pattern of alcohol consumption by university students may be typical and a cause of concern, as these youths are starting a new period of life, often leaving their homes for the first time, and experiencing freedom along with the use of alcohol and other drugs [8,9]. Social, attitudes and health factors associated with alcohol consumption or problem drinking in university students have been identified as social factors [10] such as (peer) drinking norms [11,12,13,14,15], attitudes towards alcohol use, perceived susceptibility of alcohol use, perceived self-efficacy [16], other substance use such as tobacco use [12,17] and cannabis use [18], depression [17,19,20], and posttraumatic stress [21]. …”

The Culture of Alcohol in the U.S. Military: Correlations With Problematic Drinking Behaviors and Negative Consequences of Alcohol Use

“…How one views their own community’s drinking culture may or may not reflect their actual behavior, or even be a view that is widely shared. Indeed, studies of college students have found that they frequently overestimate the prevalence of excessive alcohol use among their peers, leading to misperceptions and false expectations about normative drinking behavior (Dumas et al, 2019; Utpala-Kumar & Deane, 2012). Nonetheless, existing research suggests that one’s own perception of cultural norms is an important predictor of one’s own behavior.…”