Binge Drinking & Underage Drinking | News | Project
Statement | preliminary
studies | Future Project
Binge
drinking is a significant behavior: It is highly prevalent and it
puts college students at substantial risk. The Harvard College Alcohol
Study(CAS) (1994) defined binge drinking as five or more drinks
on a single occasion during a two-week period for males, four or
more drinks on a single occasion during a two-week period for females.
On average, almost half the undergraduates surveyed in the numerous
studies of binge drinking completed to date met criteria for binge
drinking; one in five met criteria for frequent binge drinking.
In turn, binge drinking and, especially, frequent binge drinking
were associated with substantial adverse consequences, including
unwanted sex and risky sexual behavior.
Numerous
studies of binge drinking have established its prevalence and many
of its correlates. A wide range of individual correlates of binge
drinking have been identified (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity, personal
drinking history, personality factors such as social deviance proneness,
behavioral undercontrol and negative affectivity, alcohol expectancies,
membership in social groups like fraternities and sororities, and
family, personal drinking history). However, the authors of current
reviews of research on alcohol-related consequences, on alcohol-related
unplanned and unsafe sex, and on alcohol-related aggression all
note the inadequacy of research to date on these issues. We do not
know nearly enough about why some heavy drinking students suffer
severe consequences of their drinking whereas others who drink just
as heavily experience few or no consequences.
Our
research will fill a gap specifically and repeatedly acknowledged
in the literature on a most significant problem – correlates
of alcohol-related consequences - among a large and important group
of subjects. Data from the investigation will aid in identifying
students at risk for binge drinking and for its adverse consequences
and will help in the design of prevention programs to deter students
from these behaviors.
go to preliminary
studies
