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...on Substance Abuse and the College Campus
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www.ProjectCork.org
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Spring 2006
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The co-occurrence of smoking and drinking among young adults in college: National survey results from the United States.
Weitzman ER; Chen YY. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 80(3): 377-386, 2005. (58 refs.)
Background: In US colleges, alcohol and tobacco pose substantial health risks but little is known about their co-occurrence, limiting development and use of appropriate targeted prevention efforts. Methods: Data from the 2001 HSPH College Alcohol Study (Student n = 10,924; college n = 120) were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Co-occurring smoking/drinking risks were examined in aggregate, by gender, and by age of onset of regular drinking and smoking across 10 measures of drinking style, three categories of transitional drinking behavior, and by treatment behavior. Results: Over 98% Of Current smokers drink; a fraction (<1%) of lifetime and 7% of past year alcohol abstainers smoke. Across drinking pattern measures, 44-59% of drinkers smoke. Co-occurrence risks are greatest among youth reporting high total alcohol consumption (adjusted OR 4.21, p < 0.0001), drinking problems (adjusted OR 3.31, p < 0.0001) or symptoms of diagnosable alcohol abuse (adjusted OR 3.02, p < 0.0001). Risks are sharply elevated among students who self-medicate for drinking problems and do not seek/receive help (adjusted OR 1.87, p < 0.0001), and those reporting symptoms of diagnosable alcohol abuse who may or may not seek/receive help (adjusted OR 2.67, p < 0.01 and 2.96, p < 0.01, respectively). Females and students reporting early adolescent onset regular smoking are at greatest risk. Conclusions: Virtually all college smokers drink, and smoking and drinking are powerfully interrelated across drinking measures. Efficiency argues for jointly targeting both behaviors and developing interventions tailored to the special vulnerabilities of young women, students experiencing difficulties adjusting to college, and students reporting early onset of regular smoking. Copyright 2005, Elsevier Science.
Social distance, perceived drinking by peers, and alcohol use by college students.
Yanovitzky I; Stewart LP; Lederman LC. Health Communication 19(1): 1-10, 2006. (52 refs.)
Many colleges in the United States are employing social norms marketing campaigns with the goal of reducing college students' alcohol use by correcting misperceptions about their peers' alcohol use. Although the typical message used in these campaigns describes the quantity and frequency of alcohol use by the average student on campus, many students may find such a vague comparison to others to be socially irrelevant. This study compares the relative weight of perceptions about alcohol use by distant versus proximate peers in the prediction of college students' personal drinking behavior. The results of analyzing data collected from a sample of college students at a large public northeastern university (N = 276) show that, as hypothesized, perceived alcohol use by proximate peers (best friends and friends) was a stronger predictor of students' personal alcohol use than perceived alcohol use by more distant peers (such as students in general), controlling for other strong predictors of alcohol use by college students (age, gender, race, off-campus residency, and sensation-seeking tendencies). The implications of these findings for the design of more effective social norms messages are discussed. Copyright 2006, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
Impact of smoke-free residence hall policies: The views of administrators at 3 state universities.
Gerson M; Allard JL; Tomvim LG. Journal of American College Health 54(3): 157-165, 2005. (14 refs.)
Nationwide efforts to protect the public against the health effects of secondhand smoke have prompted college and university administrators to adopt more restrictive smoking policies. Some campus officials are concerned that new policies will lead to student backlash, increased staff workloads, and an increased economic burden. To understand the impact of smoke-free residence hall policies, we conducted key informant interviews and gathered archival data at 3 large state universities. The implementation of smoke-free residence hall policies imposed little economic burden. We noted positive impacts in several key areas, including decreased damage to residence hall buildings, increased student retention, and improved enforcement of marijuana policies. Increased costs, such as the purchase of outdoor cigarette receptacles, were outweighed by the benefits. Findings from this study should encourage college and university administrators to enact smoke-free residence hall policies. Copyright 2005, Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation.
Social norms approaches using descriptive drinking norms education: A review of the research on personalized normative feedback.
Lewis MA; Neighbors C. Journal of American College Health 54(4): 213-218, 2006. (44 refs.)
College students have been shown to consistently overestimate the drinking of their peers. As a result, social norms approaches are effective in correcting these misperceived norms to reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. In this review of literature, the authors critically evaluated the effectiveness of personalized normative feedback. In addition, the authors reviewed personalized normative feedback interventions and provided suggestions for increasing the efficacy of these interventions by making better use of salient referent group data. Copyright 2006, American College Health Association.
It's an arousing, fast-paced kind of world: The effects of age and sensation seeking on the information processing of substance-abuse PSAs.
Lang A; Chung Y; Lee S; Schwartz N; Shin M. Media Psychology 7(4): 421-454, 2005. (115 refs.)
This article investigates how sensation seeking and age influence televison viewers' online information processing of substance-abuse public service announcements (PSAs). College students and adolescents viewed 30 PSAs that varied in terms of arousing content and production pacing. Dependent variables included substance use, self-reported emotional responses (valence and arousal), physiological responses (heart rate and skin conductance response), and recognition. Results show that high-sensation seekers prefer all messages, remember more, and exhibit lower arousal compared to low-sensation seekers. Adolescents remember more information from the PSAs than college students. All participants exhibit cognitive overload at the same point in time. Copyright 2005, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Characteristics of methylphenidate misuse in a university student sample.
Barrett SP; Darredeau C; Bordy LE; Pihl RO. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 50(8): 457-461, 2005. (15 refs.)
Objective: Methylphenidate (MPH) is a prescription stimulant drug with known abuse potential; however, little is known about its patterns of misuse or the characteristics of its abusers. Methods: A sample of 50 university students reporting MPH misuse and 50 control subjects matched for age, sex, and ethnicity completed structured face-to-face interviews about their MPH and other drug use. For each substance ever used, they provided information regarding routes of administration and other substances ever coadministered, as well as details about the most recent administration. MPH users provided additional information about their reasons for use and, in 36 cases, about how they obtained the drug. Results: Relative to control subjects, those who misused MPH were more likely to have used various other prescription and nonprescription stimulant drugs over their lifetime, and most MPH users reported mixing the drug with other psychoactive substances. Of the MPH sample, 70% reported recreational use of the drug, while 30% reported that MPH was used exclusively for study purposes. Relative to those using it exclusively for study, recreational users were more likely to report using MPH intranasally, as well as coadministering MPH with other substances. Most of those who reported their source of MPH obtained it from an acquaintance with a prescription. Conclusions: Those who misuse MPH are more likely than their peers to misuse various other substances, and MPH misuse frequently occurs in the context of simultaneous polydrug use. Because the primary supply of inappropriately used MPH appears to be prescribed users, efforts should be directed toward preventing its diversion. Copyright 2005, Canadian Psychiatric Association.
A developmental study of heavy episodic drinking among college students: The role of psychosocial and behavioral protective and risk factors.
Jessor R; Costa FM; Krueger PM; Turbin MS. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 67(1): 86-94, 2006. (63 refs.)
Objective: A theory-based protection/risk model was applied to explain variation in college students' heavy episodic drinking. Key aims were (1) to establish that psychosocial and behavioral protective factors and risk factors can account for cross-sectional and developmental variation in heavy episodic drinking, and (2) to examine whether protection moderates the impact of risk on heavy episodic drinking. Method: Random- and fixed-effects maximum likelihood regression analyses were used to examine data from a three-wave longitudinal study. Data were collected in fall of 2002, spring of 2003, and spring of 2004 from college students (N = 975; 548 men) who were first-semester freshmen at Wave 1. Results: Psychosocial and behavioral protective and risk factors accounted for substantial variation in college-student heavy episodic drinking, and protection moderated the impact of risk. Findings held for both genders and were consistent across the three separate waves of data. Key predictors of heavy episodic drinking were social and individual controls protection (e.g., parental sanctions for transgression and attitudinal intolerance of deviance, respectively); models risk (peer models for substance use); behavioral protection (attendance at religious services); and behavioral risk (cigarette smoking and marijuana use). Changes in controls protection, models risk, and opportunity risk were associated with change in heavy episodic drinking. Conclusions: An explanatory model based on both psychosocial and behavioral protective and risk factors was effective in accounting for variation in college-student heavy episodic drinking. A useful heuristic was demonstrated through the articulation of models, controls, support, opportunity, and vulnerability to characterize the social context, and of controls, vulnerability, and other behaviors to characterize individuals. Copyright 2006, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc.
Sexual orientation and substance use among college students.
Ford JA; Jasinski JL. Addictive Behaviors 31(3): 404-413, 2006. (25 refs.)
This study examined the relationship between sexual orientation and substance use among a nationally representative sample of U.S. college and university students. Data from the 1999 College Alcohol Survey were analyzed to compare marijuana and other illicit drug use among heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual students. Findings indicate no significant differences in either marijuana or other illicit drug use for homosexual students. However, bisexuals, especially females, were more likely to have used both marijuana and other illicit drugs. These findings underscore the importance of examining bisexuals as a separate group rather than combining them together with homosexuals. The findings also indicate the presence of unique risk and protective factors based on sexual orientation. Copyright 2006, Elsevier Science.
A systematic analysis of college substance use policies.
Hirschfeld LM; Edwardson KL; McGovern MP. Journal of American College Health 54(3): 169-176, 2005. (9 refs.)
College substance use policies provide guidelines for student behavior and influence campus culture. Although they are the primary environmental strategy to address campus substance use, policies have not been systematically compared and studied. We constructed a systematic review method to examine the accessibility, comprehensiveness, enforcement procedures, and clarity of college substance use policies. We developed an objective evaluation scheme for each of these 4 dimensions and then applied it to documented substance use policies from a sample of colleges and universities (N = 24). Policies were found to vary considerably but tended to specify compliance with local laws and emphasize student health and well-being. The next stage of campus policy review should examine actual implementation, evaluate potential differentiating factors among institutions, and assess the influence of policy on campus climate and student outcomes. Copyright 2005, Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation.
Alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and quality of life among college students.
Murphy JG; Hoyme CK; Colby SM; Borsari B. Journal of College Student Development 47(1): 110-121, 2006. (64 refs.)
The goals of the current study were to replicate and extend the earlier alcohol-findings by examining the relations between alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, gender, and a multidimensional measure of quality of life (QOL). We hypothesized that alcohol-related problems would be associated with diminished QOL among both men and women. We also hypothesized that the relation between alcohol consumption and QOL would be moderated by gender. Drinking would be positively correlated with social belonging among men, and negatively correlated with general QOL among women. The results suggest that alcohol-related problems are associated with diminished general satisfaction among both men and women. Thus, students who experience a number of negative consequences associated with drinking report more negative evaluations of various life domains (e.g., academic performance, living environment, family relations, etc.). Among women, alcohol-related problems were also associated with lower total QOL scores, reflecting both negative evaluations and lower levels of positive behaviors. These results are consistent with previous research showing that students who experience alcohol-related problems report higher rates of depression, stress, anxiety, and lower self-esteem and life satisfaction. Copyright 2006, American College Personnel Association.
Acquaintance rape at private colleges and universities: Providing for victims' educational and civil rights.
Reardon KM. Suffolk University Law Review 38: 395-413, 2005. (96 legal refs.)
There are a number of potential problems in the handling of date rape on the college campus. Young women in colleges face a rate of sexual assault higher than the general population. This commonly involves alcohol and other drug use. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment at educational institutions. Students commonly are required to be both detective and advocate, preparing and conducting their own investigation and presenting evidence to convince a disciplinary board that a rape occurred. The first section of the Article discusses the realities of campus sexual assault: how often it occurs, what risks are unique to college campuses, and the ultimate effect rape has on student victims. The second section discusses what actions private colleges and universities must take in order to meet the needs of student victims and protect the student body as a whole. This section discusses safety and reporting procedures, specific accommodations to assist victims with maintaining their academic careers, and college disciplinary and grievance procedures. The third section will discuss instances when the rights of student victims intersect with the rights of others, specifically with those of students accused of sexual assault. Copyright 2005, Suffolk University.
Binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among community college students: Implications for prevention policy.
Sheffield FD; Darkes J; Del Boca FK; Goldman MS. Journal of American College Health 54(3): 137-141, 2005. (16 refs.)
Binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among students at traditional 4-year universities have been well documented. However, little is known about the frequency of their such behaviors and its consequences among community college students, who comprise roughly 44% of all undergraduate students in the United States. The present study examined binge drinking and alcohol-related problems in 762 (61% female) ethnically diverse (65% Caucasian, 20% Hispanic, 9% African American) community college students (mean age = 26.23, SD = 7.81). Based on gender-specific criteria, 25% engaged in binge drinking. As compared to nonbingers and current abstainers, bingers had higher rates of drinking-related problems. The implications of these findings for research and for prevention/intervention programs are discussed. Copyright 2005, Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation.
Alcohol hangover effects on measures of affect the morning after a normal night's drinking.
McKinney A; Kieran C. Alcohol and Alcoholism 41(1): 54-60, 2006. (32 refs.)
Aim: To investigate the effects of students' usual levels of alcohol consumption on aspects of mood and anxiety the following morning. Methods: Students were recruited who consumed their usual quantity of any type of alcoholic beverage in their chosen company and then completed assessments of the effects the following day. The timing of drinking was restricted to the period between 22:00 and 02:00 h the night before testing as these are the most popular hours for consuming alcohol in the population under investigation. The testing included an assessment of mood and anxiety; testing was also performed after an evening of abstinence (no hangover condition), following a counterbalanced repeated measure design, with time of testing and order of testing as `between participant' factors. Forty-eight student social drinkers (33 women, 15 men) aged between 18 and 43 years were tested, with a 1 week interval between test sessions. Results: Males reported consuming on average 14.7 units and females 10.5 units the night before testing. On the morning after alcohol consumption, ratings of alertness and tranquility were lower than the ratings the morning following an evening of abstinence at both 11:00 and 13:00 h and the post intoxication physical symptoms, emotional symptoms and symptoms of fatigue persisted throughout the morning. Conclusion: Heavy alcohol consumption lowers mood, disrupts sleep, increases anxiety and produces physical symptoms, emotional symptoms and symptoms of fatigue throughout the next morning. Copyright 2006, Medical Council on Alcohol.
A survey of substance abuse prevention efforts at Virginia's colleges and universities.
West SL; Graham CW. Journal of American College Health 54(3): 185-191, 2005. (37 refs.)
The extremes of college student substance use and the negative consequences students face as a result of such use are of great public health concern. Although a multitude of campus-based substance abuse prevention efforts have appeared in literature, a clear picture of the programs and policies currently in use at colleges and universities is not readily available. This research was undertaken to detail both the efforts aimed at general student samples and those targeting at-risk (eg, Greeks, student athletes) and historically underserved (eg, ethnic minorities, students with disabilities) student groups at colleges and universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While a variety of efforts were being made, there was a reliance on program orientations with limited scientific support. Four-year institutions used a wider array of outlets for their prevention messages. Targeted programs for at-risk groups were common but were largely unavailable specifically for ethnic minority students and students with disabilities. Copyright 2005, Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation.
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