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...on Colleges
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www.ProjectCork.org
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Summer 2009
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Alcohol use and sexual risk behavior among college students: Understanding gender and ethnic differences.
Randolph ME; Torres H; Gore-Felton C; Lloyd B; McGarvey EL. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 35(2): 80-84, 2009. (19 refs.)
Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to assess the role of gender and ethnicity in the relationship between alcohol use and risky sexual behavior. Method: Sexually active college students (n = 425) reported on alcohol expectancies, perceived risk of HIV, and drinking and sexual behavior in the context of a larger health behavior survey. Results: Approximately one-third of participants reported binge drinking 3 or more times in the past two weeks. African-American women reported less drinking and less positive alcohol expectancies than other women. Older men engaged more often than younger men in binge drinking and reported more sexual partners in the past year. Younger age and greater perceived risk for HIV were positively associated with condom use for both women and men. Conclusion: Collectively, these findings suggest that alcohol abuse and HIV prevention efforts among young adults need to consider gender, ethnicity, and age. Copyright 2009, Taylor & Francis.
Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use within a religious affiliated university.
Felt JN; Mcbride DC; Helm HW. Journal of Drug Issues 38(3): 799-820, 2008. (37 refs.)
This study examines the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use within a religiously affiliated, conservative Christian university to assess whether risk and protective factors for substance use, which have been found to function in general society, also apply within a unique context which prohibits use and has overall lower prevalence rates. Variables examined included perception of normative use, personal religious behaviors, and need for adult approval. Self-reported substance use was low, while perception of normative use was high. Perception of use was positively related to self-reported use while personal religiosity and need for adult approval were Inversely related to use. These data suggest that these risk and protective factors apply not only within general populations, but also within a specific subcultural context, supporting the importance of these models in a religious college context in understanding substance use patterns, variables related to those pat-terns, and possible prevention programs. Copyright 2008, Journal of Drug Issues, Inc.
Are women at greater risk? An examination of alcohol-related consequences and gender.
Sugarman DE; DeMartini KS; Carey KB. American Journal on Addictions 18(3): 194-197, 2009. (31 refs.)
Men typically drink more than women; however, women achieve higher BACs (blood alcohol concentration) than men at equivalent consumption levels. This study investigated the unique effect of gender on individual alcohol problems by controlling both consumption and intoxication in a sample of 1,331 undergraduate drinkers. Gender independently influenced the risk of experiencing seven of nine negative consequences: (a) being female increased risk for tolerance, blacking out, passing out, drinking after promising not to, and getting injured; (b) being male increased risk for damaging property and going to school drunk. Gender patterns should be explored in a wider set of alcohol-related problems. Copyright 2009, Taylor & Francis.
Athletic identity, descriptive norms, and drinking among athletes transitioning to college.
Grossbard JR; Geisner IM; Mastroleo NR; Kilmer JR; Turrisi R; Larimer ME. Addictive Behaviors 34(4): 352-359, 2009. (54 refs.)
College student-athletes are at risk for heavy alcohol consumption and related consequences. The present study evaluated the influence of college student and college athlete descriptive norms and levels of athletic identity on drinking and related consequences among incoming college students attending two universities (N=1119). Prior to the beginning of their first year of college. students indicating high school athletic participation completed assessments of athletic identity, alcohol consumption, drinking-related consequences, and normative perceptions of alcohol use. Estimations of drinking by college students and student-athletes were significantly greater than self-reported drinking. Athletic identity moderated associations among gender, perceived norms, drinking, and related consequences. Athlete-specific norms had a stronger effect on drinking among those reporting higher levels of athletic identity, and higher levels of athletic identity exclusively protected males from experiencing drinking-related consequences. Implications of the role of athletic identity in the development of social norms interventions targeted at high school athletes transitioning to college are discussed. Copyright 2009, Elsevier Science.
Changes in drinking patterns across the transition to college among first-year college males.
Labrie J; Lamb T; Pedersen E. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse 18(1): 1-15, 2009. (38 refs.)
Few studies examine changes in drinking behavior during the transition from high school to college. Using a sample of 239 first-year males, we hypothesized that participants would increase drinking from pre-college to the first month of college. Results reveal a general trend toward increased drinking upon entering college. Caucasians increased drinking more than non-Caucasians. Social expectancies of alcohol moderated increases in drinking behavior. These findings indicate that differential changes in drinking behavior occur among incoming college males. Interventions with college students need to address both preventing heavy consumption and alcohol-related problems in pre-college light drinkers and in reducing these behaviors among pre-college heavy drinkers. Copyright 2009, Haworth Press.
Development of a Web-based alcohol intervention for university students: Processes and challenges.
Hallett J; Maycock B; Kypri K; Howat P; McManus A. Drug and Alcohol Review 28(1): 31-39, 2009. (38 refs.)
Introduction and Aims. Despite growing evidence of the efficacy of electronic screening and brief interventions for reducing unhealthy alcohol use, there is no published work describing the development of such interventions. We describe the process of developing and implementing an electronic screening and brief intervention in a large university population. Design and Methods. Thematic analysis of seven focus groups, involving a total of 69 students, informed the content and design of THRIVE (Tertiary Health Research Intervention Via Email). Pilot testing was conducted through usability analysis with a further 16 students. A random sample of 13 000 undergraduates was invited to complete screening and hazardous drinkers were randomised to receive Web-based assessment and feedback or screening alone. Participants' use of THRIVE was examined through server log analysis and responses to questions on instrument design/usability during follow-up assessment 6 months later. Results. A total of 7237 students (56% of those invited) completed screening; 2435 (34%) screened positive for unhealthy drinking; 1251 were randomly assigned to receive the intervention; and 1184 served as controls. In total, 99% of participants found THRIVE easy to complete, 76% said it provided personally relevant information and 55% said they would recommend it to a friend with a drinking problem. Thirty per cent sought additional information on support services through the site. Discussion and Conclusions. Key design elements include ease of access (e. g. via an emailed hyperlink), length (< 10 min), clear, non-judgmental language, personalised normative feedback and links to appropriate services. The study demonstrates the potential reach of a carefully implemented intervention in a high-risk, non-treatment-seeking population group. Copyright 2009, Taylor & Francis.
Forcible, drug-facilitated, and incapacitated rape in relation to substance use problems: Results from a national sample of college women.
McCauley J; Ruggiero KJ; Resnick HS; Conoscenti LM; Kilpatrick DG. Addictive Behaviors 34(5): 458-462, 2009. (30 refs.)
This is the first study to examine the relation between rape and substance use problems in college women as a function of three legally recognized forms of rape: forcible, incapacitated, and substance-facilitated rape. Data were collected via structured telephone interview with a large national sample of college women aged 18-34 years (n = 1980). Lifetime prevalence of any type of rape was 11.3% in the sample. Prevalence estimates for binge drinking and substance abuse were 15.8% and 19.8%, respectively. Lifetime experience of incapacitated rape and drug-alcohol facilitated rape, but not forcible rape, were associated with increased odds of past-year binge drinking and substance abuse. Findings have implications for secondary prevention and call for continued differentiation in assessment of rape type. Copyright 2009, Elsevier Science.
Fraternity membership and drinking behavior.
DeSimone J. Economic Inquiry 47(2): 337-350, 2009. (24 refs.)
This paper estimates the impact of fraternity and sorority membership on a wide array of drinking outcomes among respondents to four Harvard College Alcohol Study surveys from 1993 to 2001. Identification is achieved by including proxies for specific types of unobserved heterogeneity expected to influence the relationship. These include high school and parental drinking behaviors to account for time-invariant omitted factors and assessed importance of drinking- related activities and reasons for drinking to control for changes in preferences since starting college. Because self-selection is quantitatively important, I further hold constant variables plausibly affected by fraternity membership, such as current alcohol use categorization, ranging from abstainer to heavy drinker, and time spent socializing. Even in the fully saturated model, fraternity membership significantly increases drinking intensity, frequency, and recency, as well as the prevalence of many deleterious drinking consequences that potentially carry negative externalities. Copyright 2009, Wiley-Blackwell.
Nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and analgesics: Associations with social and academic behaviors among college students.
Arria AM; O'Grady KE; Caldeira KM; Vincent KB; Wish ED. Journal of Drug Issues 38(4): 1045-1060, 2008. (21 refs.)
Nonmedical use of prescription stimulants and analgesics was assessed from personal interviews with a stratified random sample of 1,253 first-year college students ages 17 to 20 attending a large public university (86% response rate). Lifetime and past-year prevalence of nonmedical use of stimulants, analgesics, or both was 19.6%(wt) and 15.6%(wt) respectively. Nonmedical users had significantly lower grade point averages (GPAs) in high school as compared with nonusers; in college they skipped classes more often, spent more time socializing, and spent less time studying. For example, nonmedical users of both stimulants and analgesics skipped 21% of their college classes whereas nonusers skipped 9%. Controlling for high school GPA and other factors, past-year nonmedical use independently predicted lower college GPA by the end of the first year of college; this effect was partially mediated by skipping more classes. Nonmedical users of prescription drugs comprise a high-risk group for academic problems in college. Copyright 2008, Journal of Drug Issues, Inc.
Self-reported consequences of intoxication among college students: Implications for harm reduction approaches to high-risk drinking.
Usdan S; Martin R; Mays D; Cremeens J; Weitzel JA; Bernhardt J. Journal of Drug Education 38(4): 377-387, 2008. (16 refs.)
Although large scale national surveys provide extensive data about the nature and frequency of alcohol use among American college students, survey research on alcohol does not provide detailed information on the context of college alcohol consumption that may contribute to drinking-related negative consequences. This research sought to gather specific information on the contexts in which alcohol use occurs among college students through a series of focus groups. Participants described specific incidents of heavy drinking, alcohol consumption patterns, drinking locations and environments, co-drinkers, and associated consequences experienced from drinking. Results indicated that participants often experienced negative consequences from alcohol use if they consumed shots of hard liquor or if they participated in drinking games and/or "pre-gamed." In addition, negative consequences were more common during specific events/special occasions. An implication of these findings is the possibility of reducing negative alcohol-related consequences by tailoring health promotion/harm reduction efforts specifically toward excessive drinking of hard liquor and excessive "pre-gaming." Copyright 2008, Baywood Publishing.
Sexual violence prevention and technologies of gender among heavy-drinking college women.
Luke KP. Social Service Review 83(1): 79-109, 2009. (72 refs.)
Feminist scholarship on sexual violence suggests that practices of normative masculinity and femininity, identified by some poststructuralists as technologies of gender, are causally related to sexual violence. Much of that research concentrates on the gendered interactions between men and women but does not sufficiently explore the interactions among women. Through analysis of 31 qualitative interviews, this article shows that interviewed heavy-drinking college women deploy technologies of gender in their interactions with other women and in their strategies for negotiating the risk of sexual violence. The results suggest that deconstructing technologies of gender offers new possibilities for sexual violence prevention in localized (e. g., campus) contexts. Copyright 2009, University of Chicago Press.
Where's the house party? Hazardous drinking behaviors and related risk factors.
Zamboanga BL; Olthuis JV; Horton NJ; McCollum EC; Lee JJ; Shaw R. Journal of Psychology 143(3): 228-244, 2009. (38 refs.)
The authors examined differences in drinking behaviors and related risk factors across campus housing at a women's liberal arts college. Participants (N = 362) living in residence-style housing or house-style residences completed self-report questionnaires. Results showed that students in residence hall-style houses reported higher levels of hazardous alcohol use and perceived that their college, housemates or roommates, and close peers are more permissive of alcohol use than did students living in house-style residences. Findings highlight the role of the environmental structure of a college campus on students' perceptions of alcohol use and their drinking behaviors. Iimplications for housing and programming are discuessed. Copyright 2009, Heldref Publications
Validation of the College Alcohol Problem Scale-revised (CAPS-r) for use with non-adjudicated first-year students.
Talbott LL; Umstattd MR; Usdan SL; Martin RJ; Geiger BF. Addictive Behaviors 34(5): 471-473, 2009. (17 refs.)
First-year students in transition to college are at increased risk for consuming greater amounts of alcohol and are subject to subsequent alcohol related problems. The 8-item College Alcohol Problem Scale-revised (CAPS-r) has been used to measure alcohol related problems in adjudicated undergraduates and psychology majors. However. structural validity of the CAPS-r has not been examined in a general first-year student population. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the structural validity of this two-factor model using LISREL 8.5. The original two-factor measurement model for the 8-item CAPS-r represented acceptable fit to the data (chi(2)-37,52, df = 19, p = .007, CFI = .968, SRMR = .0449), supporting its use with first-year college students. Future studies need to examine invariance across ethnic, gender, and geographical groups. Copyright 2009, Elsevier Science.
Controlled release: A cultural analysis of collegiate polydrug use.
Quintero G. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 41(1): 39-47, 2009. (51 refs.)
Social science research on polydrug use among young adult college students is scant, adopts definitions of this practice that are often devoid of sociocultural context, and emphasizes a very narrow range of use patterns. This article, based on ethnographic interviews from a study of collegiate prescription drug misuse, expands this focus by offering a cultural analysis of polydrug use. Two specific types of collegiate polydrug use, simultaneous interaction and sequential management, are examined within a cultural framework that relates these practices to the expression of two complementary values-control and release. The college experience provides young people with a culturally sanctioned "time-out" period that affords freedom from many of the roles, responsibilities, and other constraints that come to structure later adult life. At the same time, college students are expected to meet academic and social demands that require organization, initiative, and direction. Specific types of polydrug use provide young adults with a means to navigate these competing prescriptions that are characteristic of contemporary college life. Copyright 2009, Haight-Ashbury Publishing
A brief live interactive normative group intervention using wireless keypads to reduce drinking and alcohol consequences in college student athletes.
Labrie JW; Hummer JF; Huchting KK; Neighbors C. Drug and Alcohol Review 28(1): 40-47, 2009. (36 refs.)
Introduction and Aims. Misperceptions of how members of one's social group think and act influence behaviour. The current study was designed to extend the research of group-specific normative feedback interventions among salient campus groups with heightened risk. Although not a randomised controlled trial, this research used normative feedback that was obtained using wireless keypad technology during a live session, within sex-specific student athlete groups to extend the proof of concept of using this brief interactive intervention. Design and Methods. Participants included 660 intercollegiate athletes from all varsity athletic teams at two private, mid-size universities. Intervention data were gathered in vivo using computerised handheld keypads into which group members entered in personal responses to a series of alcohol-related questions. These questions assessed perceptions of normative group behaviour and attitudes as well as actual individual behaviour and attitudes. These data were then immediately presented back in graphical form to illustrate discrepancies between perceived and actual group norms. Results. Results revealed that at 1 month post-intervention, perceived group norms, behaviour, attitudes and consequences reduced compared with baseline. These reductions were maintained at 2 month follow up. Latent growth modelling suggested that the reductions in perceived norms and attitudes were associated with reductions in individual drinking behaviour and negative consequences. Discussion and Conclusions. These results are among the first to suggest the effectiveness of a novel, group-based normative alcohol intervention among student athletes. Limitations of the design preclude strong inferences about efficacy; however, the findings support further trialling of such information technology in alcohol treatment research. Copyright 2009, Taylor & Francis.
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