College Student High-Risk Drinking as a Maladaptive Serious Leisure Hobby

Abstract

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the experiences of college students who defined themselves as high-risk drinkers in order to understand the meaning and purpose that engagement in such a leisure occupation held for them. Individual open-ended interviews were conducted with four male and four female participants (aged 21 to 27). The findings revealed an emergent grounded theory indicating high-risk drinking adheres to the Serious Leisure Perspective of a hobby developed by Stebbins (2007). Six themes found within the data substantiate this conceptualization. The participants had a long-term time investment with drinking, developed special skills through sustained effort, solidified a unique identity as a hobbyist, found deep meaning and purpose through the hobby, and performed the hobby within a unique and special world in concert with other hobbyists. Their high-risk drinking provided structure and a sense of belongingness within the larger university context.

KEYWORDS:

• alcohol
• college students
• lifestyle balance
• maladaptive habits
• serious leisure
• substance abuse
• university students

Notes

*Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) (Babor, Higgins-Biddle, Saunders, & Monteiro, 2001) Scores ≥8 points indicate a problem drinker.