How do mandated college student drinkers characterize binge drinking?

ABSTRACT

Background

Within the past 30 days, a quarter of U.S. college students reported binge drinking (i.e., consuming ≥ five drinks (male) or ≥ four drinks (female), in about 2 hours). While scholars have refined binge drinking parameters/definitions over time, determining college students’ personal characterization of binge drinking is important as misperceptions can directly impact students’ alcohol use and associated consequences.

Objective

This study explored differences in college students’ characterization of binge drinking and the effect of overestimating standardized parameters.

Methodology

This study was conducted at a large public university in the Southeast U.S. among college students who violated campus alcohol-use policies (n = 816). Respondents anonymously completed measures of alcohol frequency and quantity, and binge drinking characterization. Analyses explored the relationship between binge drinking parameters and personal alcohol use.

Results

Statistically significant differences existed for alcohol consumption between students who underestimated/accurately characterized binge drinking parameters and those who overestimated. Moreover, students who overestimated participated in binge drinking more frequently (p < .001) and were nearly 3.5 times more likely to binge drink than their counterparts.

Conclusions

Correcting misperceptions, establishing clear and accurate understandings, and eliminating ambiguity associated with alcohol behaviors and norms should be a priority for college health practitioners and administrators.

KEYWORDS:

• Binge drinking
• norms
• misperceptions
• alcohol use
• college students

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors contributions/roles

Benjamin N. Montemayor: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing of the original draft. Adam E. Barry: Conceptualization, Writing of the original draft, Review and editing of writing.

Consent to participate

In coordination with the collaborating campus organization, participants were made aware of this research study through a cover letter informing respondents of important study details, such as voluntary participation in the study and permission for their de-identified and anonymous, aggregated data to be used for scientific publications. Respondents were able to opt out of sharing their anonymous data with the researchers by checking an opt-out box with the following prompt, “By clicking this button, I am indicating that I DO NOT wish to share my anonymous data.” Thus, the requirement for documentation of informed consent was waived by the relevant IRB.

Ethics approval

All procedures were vetted and approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Kentucky (IRB number: 49173 Non-medical).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.