Reasons for binge drinking among undergraduate students: An application of behavioural reasoning theory

Norman, P.; Conner, Mark; Stride, Chris

doi:10.1111/j.2044-8287.2012.02065.x

Cited by 55 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Binge drinking is particularly prevalent in university students (Bailer et al ., ; Morton & Tighe, ) where it is seen to be a core part of the student identity (Carpenter et al ., ; Colby, Colby, & Raymond, ). Norman, Conner, and Stride () reported that 66.3% of their sample of undergraduate students had engaged in binge drinking at least once in the previous week. Similar figures have been reported in other studies (Cooke, Sniehotta, & Schüz, ; Jamison & Myers, ; Norman, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of brief self‐affirmation manipulations on university students' reactions to risk information about binge drinking

Knight

Norman

2016

British J Health Psychol

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Objectives Binge drinking is associated with an array of negative health consequences and is particularly prevalent in university students. Health‐risk messages about alcohol may fail to change such behaviour because they are dismissed or derogated. The present study sought to compare the effect of three brief self‐affirmation manipulations on message processing, message acceptance, and subsequent alcohol‐related behaviour in university students. Design Participants (N = 307) were randomly allocated to condition (kindness questionnaire, values essay, attributes questionnaire, control questionnaire) before reading a health‐risk message about binge drinking. Methods After reading the message, participants completed measures of message processing (message reactance, message evaluation, counter‐arguing) and message acceptance (perceived risk, intention, plans) as well as a manipulation check. Alcohol consumption was assessed 1 week later. Results Participants in all three self‐affirmation conditions scored significantly higher than participants in the control condition on the manipulation check measure. All other self‐affirmation effects were non‐significant. Conclusions While the three self‐affirmation manipulations were found to be self‐affirming, they failed to impact on measures of message processing, message acceptance, or subsequent behaviour. The findings concur with previous research that questions the use of self‐affirmation to reduce alcohol consumption in university students. Current self‐affirmation manipulations may not be strong enough to overcome defensive processing of health‐risk messages about alcohol in students and/or prime social goals that are related to the domain under threat (i.e., alcohol consumption), thereby nullifying any positive self‐affirmation effects. What is already known on this subject? Health‐risk messages to reduce alcohol consumption (e.g., binge drinking) in university students may fail due to defensive processing (e.g., message derogation). Self‐affirmation has been proposed as a technique to bolster one's self‐integrity and promote open‐minded processing of health‐risk messages. Most previous studies that have presented health‐risk messages about alcohol to university students have used a values essay to self‐affirm participants with equivocal results. What does this study add? There are few studies that have directly compared different self‐affirmation manipulations. All three self‐affirmation manipulations were found by participants to be self‐affirming, consistent with the idea that there are multiple ways individuals can self‐affirm, but had no significant effects on message processing, message acceptance, or behaviour. Self‐affirmation manipulations may lead individuals to reflect on interpersonal values that are related to alcohol consumption in students and may therefore prime the very cognitions and behaviour that they seek to reduce.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of brief self‐affirmation manipulations on university students' reactions to risk information about binge drinking

Knight

Norman

2016

British J Health Psychol

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“…Thus, university students have been found to report drinking for social reasons (Norman, Conner & Stride, 2012) and believe that heavy drinking helps them to socialise (Guise & Gill, 2007). Choosing to self-affirm a social value may therefore attenuate the effect of selfaffirmation on message processing and subsequent cognitions and behaviour, given that the value is in a related domain.…”

Section: Self-affirmation and Implementation Intentionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Self-affirmation is proposed to have its effect through a reasoned/conscious route by encouraging more open and balanced processing of health-risk information (Steele, 1988). Given the strong link between alcohol consumption and sociability in students (Guise & Gill, 2007;Norman et al, 2012), affirming a social value may not protect oneÕs self-integrity from the threat posed by a health-risk message about alcohol and, as a result, may diminish the effect of self-affirmation on the key outcome (i.e., intention) of such a deliberative process. The type of value affirmed also impacted on the effectiveness of the implementation intention task.…”

Section: Self-affirmation and Implementation Intentionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining self-affirmation and implementation intentions to reduce heavy episodic drinking in university students.

Norman

Wrona-Clarke

2016

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors

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Studies testing the effects of self-affirmation on alcohol-related cognitions and behaviour in university students have produced equivocal results. As self-affirmation is a motivational technique (i.e., designed to reduce defensive processing) it may need to be supplemented with volitional techniques, such as forming if-then plans, to translate positive intentions into behaviour. Participants (N = 348) were randomly assigned to conditions in a 2 (selfaffirmation) × 2 (implementation intention) between-participants factorial design. Participants completed a self-affirmation task (i.e., values essay) or not, read a summary about the health risks of binge drinking (8/6 units for men/women), and then completed an implementation intention task (i.e., forming if-then plans) or not. Participants then completed measures of message derogation, perceived risk and intention as well as alcohol consumption one week later. All main and interaction effects for self-affirmation were non-significant. In contrast, participants who formed implementation intentions (vs. not) reported drinking fewer units of alcohol and engaged in binge drinking less frequently at one-week follow-up. Additional analyses revealed that affirming a social value attenuated the effect of self-affirmation on intention, but augmented the effect of implementation intentions on behaviour. Overall, the findings provide additional evidence for the positive effects of implementation intentions, but question the use of self-affirmation to reduce alcohol consumption in university students.

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“…The content of the messages was informed by further formative research with current university students in order to identify key arguments that support or challenge these beliefs. For example, a key behavioral belief underlying binge drinking among students is that binge drinking is sociable [33] and a good way to make friends at university. Messages were therefore developed to counter this belief (e.g., binge drinking is not the best way to make friends) and to highlight other ways in which students can make friends without binge drinking (e.g., join student clubs and societies).…”

Section: Method/designmentioning

confidence: 99%

A theory-based online health behavior intervention for new university students: study protocol

et al. 2013

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BackgroundToo few young people engage in behaviors that reduce the risk of morbidity and premature mortality, such as eating healthily, being physically active, drinking sensibly and not smoking. The present research developed an online intervention to target these health behaviors during the significant life transition from school to university when health beliefs and behaviors may be more open to change. This paper describes the intervention and the proposed approach to its evaluation.Methods/designPotential participants (all undergraduates about to enter the University of Sheffield) will be emailed an online questionnaire two weeks before starting university. On completion of the questionnaire, respondents will be randomly assigned to receive either an online health behavior intervention (U@Uni) or a control condition. The intervention employs three behavior change techniques (self-affirmation, theory-based messages, and implementation intentions) to target four heath behaviors (alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and smoking). Subsequently, all participants will be emailed follow-up questionnaires approximately one and six months after starting university. The questionnaires will assess the four targeted behaviors and associated cognitions (e.g., intentions, self-efficacy) as well as socio-demographic variables, health status, Body Mass Index (BMI), health service use and recreational drug use. A sub-sample of participants will provide a sample of hair to assess changes in biochemical markers of health behavior. A health economic evaluation of the cost effectiveness of the intervention will also be conducted.DiscussionThe findings will provide evidence on the effectiveness of online interventions as well as the potential for intervening during significant life transitions, such as the move from school to university. If successful, the intervention could be employed at other universities to promote healthy behaviors among new undergraduates.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials, ISRCTN67684181.

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Reasons for binge drinking among undergraduate students: An application of behavioural reasoning theory

Abstract: The results provide support for BRT as a framework for understanding undergraduate students' binge drinking intentions and behaviour, and suggest that interventions need to focus on the social reasons for engaging in binge drinking in undergraduate students.

Cited by 55 publications

References 51 publications

Impact of brief self‐affirmation manipulations on university students' reactions to risk information about binge drinking

Impact of brief self‐affirmation manipulations on university students' reactions to risk information about binge drinking

Combining self-affirmation and implementation intentions to reduce heavy episodic drinking in university students.

A theory-based online health behavior intervention for new university students: study protocol

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