Alcohol-related social norms predict more than alcohol use: examining the relation between social norms and substance use

ABSTRACT

Background: Social Norms Theory is considered a reliable approach to examine alcohol and substance use on college campuses. Alcohol social norms form the foundation of many successful substance use interventions. However, the broader influence of these norms or the relationship between alcohol social norms and other forms of substance use (i.e., cigarettes, marijuana, and cocaine) is unknown.

Objective: The purpose of the study is to predict substance use from social norms (i.e., descriptive and injunctive norms).

Methods: The researchers collected the data at a public midsized Midwest university using a snowball sampling procedure and an online survey. A total of 315 students participated, and the average age of the participants was 20.31 (SD = 1.49) years. The sample predominately identified as Caucasian (93.3%) and female (76.8%).

Results: Whereas descriptive norms only predicted alcohol use, injunctive norms predicted multiple forms of substance use (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, cigarette, and cocaine use). Higher levels of perceived approval of drinking behaviors related to higher levels of alcohol, marijuana, cigarette, and cocaine use.

Conclusions: Alcohol-related injunctive norms seem to relate to broader substance use. Interventions aimed at changing injunctive norms should consider assessing the prevalence of other substances to evaluate the potential far-reaching impact.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol
• marijuana
• cigarette
• cocaine
• social norms

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. The authors have no funding source to declare.