Sociocultural Factors on Alcohol Consumption in University Students - Essay Example

? Sociocultural Factors on Alcohol Consumption in Introduction Alcohol is beverage that is consumed by many people all over the world for various reasons but the common goal of alcohol consumption is for leisure purposes. Alcohol makes someone feel drunk or drowsy, experiences slurred speech, distorted vision and hearing and other motor cognition inconsistencies. Alcohol consumption is prohibited by some religious practices all over the world. Islam and some denominations of Christianity forbid the consumption and use of alcohol by their members. There been increase in the number of young people who are involved in alcohol consumption especially in universities. According to Sanchez et al. (2011), drinking attitudes and behaviours in college or university students are unique compared to younger adolescents. Alcohol consumption and abuse in universities when looked at from the social context indicates that the social environment in universities is characterized by heavy alcohol abuse. This creates a culture where such consumption and use of alcohol is normative, with this unique drinking environment appearing to be a salient factor underlying heavy drinking amongst university students. Shim and Maggs (2005) have established that psychological and social correlates of alcohol misuse in university students. According to Palmer et al. (2010), drinking motives are categorized based on affective dimensions like drinking to stimulate or enhance positive emotion and to cope with negative emotions. Kypri et al. (2009), postulates that sociocultural factors play a central role in contributing to alcohol drinking by university students. This paper seeks to discuss the role of sociocultural factors in promoting alcohol consumption by students from Bangor University. Literature Review Emotional stimulations are part of what Olthuis, Zamboanga and Ham (2011), to as enhancement motives with regard to alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption by university students may be driven by intentions to induce, maintain or increase positive affective states (Norberg et al., 2010). According to Olthuis, Zamboanga & Ham (2011), these enhancement motives are linked to drinking behaviours in university students. Serras et al (2010), refers to social lubrication outcome expectancies as alcohol outcome expectancies. These terms are used to describe beliefs held by university students about the effects and ability of alcohol. According to Davis, Thake and Vilhena (2010), social lubrication expectancies are grounded on the belief that alcohol use enhances social situations by making them more enjoyable. This is the common perception amongst university students, and it has been linked to heavy alcohol consumption (Carlson, Johnson & Jacobs, 2010). Research studies among university going students established that expectancies regarding the positive social impacts of alcohol as a major contributing factor to alcohol abuse by college students. Impulsivity is also another psychosocial factor that research studies have attributed to increased alcohol consumption among university students. Impulsivity is manifested by a general tendency to act without planning or thinking about it in an effort to attain self-gratification (Rosenquist et al., 2010). Impulsivity is used by Worthy, Jonkman, & Blinn-Pike (2010) in their research into alcohol consumption, and its use as a base construct sensation seeking behaviour witnessed in alcohol consuming university students. (Lyvers et al., 2010) established that sensation seeking behaviour and impulsivity are associated with increased alcohol consumption by university students. Manifestation of sensation seeking behaviour and impulsivity is characterized by increased responsivity to effects of alcohol and increased motivation to obtain stimulation from alcohol consumption. There is also an increased probability of acting on these motivations without considering their potential consequences. In their research study, Hasking, Lyvers and Carlopio (2011) established that alcohol use is associated with beliefs that it has the ability to suppress negative emotions, and that it is used by university students as coping mechanism or tool. Coping motives of alcohol consumption are construed to operate on the principle of negative reinforcement and it involves consuming drinking to ameliorate negative emotions or make them more bearable (Hasking, Lyvers & Carlopio, 2011). Research studies have established that alcohol consumption in coping motives makes it a risk factor in creating alcohol related social problems like addiction and over reliance on alcohol. Contrary to this, other research studies conducted on a general population that is not specific to university students established the opposite results. These results indicate that coping motives have the ability to affect alcohol misuse less strongly in heavy drinkers (Zamboanga et al., 2010). Negative factors are also involved in promoting alcohol consumption in university students from Bangor University. A study conducted to establish the relationship that exists between university students and alcohol consumption established that there is an association between the two. Negative effects of drinking in students contribute to the development of problems associated with alcohol consumption. According to Serras et al (2010), tension reduction alcohol expectancies are characterized by beliefs in alcohol’s ability to alleviate negative mood states. These motivations predispose an individual to drink during times when they experience negative emotions. Tensions generated by various academic related influences are associated with tension reduction alcohol expectancies that lead to problems drinking in university students in Bangor (Carlson, Johnson & Jacobs, 2010). Social cognitive and psychological variables have been established as viable indicators of alcohol abuse by university students. According to Davis, Thake & Vilhena (2010), heavy drinking and alcohol abuse in the US is a culturally embedded in experience in the transition from adolescence to young adulthood especially in the college and university experience. This has been attributed to a an underage drinking problem that starts in elementary and middle schools that spirals out of control and intensifies in colleges and universities. University students’ drinking has been found to be connected to criminal, academic and social problems. Perceived social support has been considered a protective factor against drinking and abuse of alcohol in university students. According to research conducted by Ray et al. (2009) to investigate the effect of drinking on university students’ achievements in education established that alcohol use by students reduces study time leading to lower GPA. The research study recommended that the later the age students first use alcohol, the more likely they are to have better educational achievements as illustrated by higher GPA scores (Kenney, Hummer & LaBrie, 2010). Gender issues have been considered as contributors to alcohol use and abuse among university students. This was established by Shim and Maggs (2005) who examined the behaviour of college students from a consumer perspective (DeJong et al., 2009). The research study indicated that personal values serve as significant indicators of attitudes harboured by university students towards alcohol use. This can in turn be used to predict their intentions to drink and use alcohol. According to Shimm and Magg (2005), intentions to drink are significantly related to actual alcohol consumption, and gender related attitudes and alcohol use in the past influence intentions to drink. For example, binge drinking might have its roots in high school and family history, gender, race and its implications on academic performance. The issue of gender on alcohol consumption has been investigated and results indicate that there is a difference in female and male drinking. Males are more likely drink alcohol, with greater frequency and quantity compared to females (Hughes et al., 2011). Parents and peers serve as significant indicators of social norms that have the potential to influence model motives, attitudes and behavioural habits of drinking alcohol (Norberg et al., 2010). Peers and the environment play a significant and influential role in student drinking, in addition to a student’s personal family history, which contributes to drinking habits as well. There are notions that drinking alcohol by a member of the family has the ability to influence student drinking behaviour. This is coupled to the fact that there is an increased probability of students being influenced more by their peers than their family (Wicki, Kuntsche & Gmel, 2010). Conducive campus environments are characterized by higher levels of access to alcohol, an aspect that plays a decisive role in influencing and determining drinking levels among university students (Neighbors et al., 2010). According to Bowman (2010), the amount of alcohol students consume is contingent on their age, who they associate with in school and where they live. Accommodation facilities available to students in universities and policies such as mandatory on-campus living requirements for first and second year students play a significant in influence student drinking behaviour in universities. The living conditions encourage the development of an environment that is conducive to all manner and sorts of behaviour that can be detrimental to students’ academic and social objectives. There are numerous social factors that contribute to alcohol drinking and abuse for university students and they all have to be considered when looking for ways to mitigate for this aspect. The prevalence of alcohol abuse and use in universities, colleges and other institutions of higher learning; is higher than in the general public population. This trend is more common in western societies like Europe and the United States (US) than in any other society in the world. According to Pedersen, Larimer & Lee (2010), studies have illustrated a variance in these trends depending on country, social groups and time. Alcohol abuse is of primary concern to various groups and government agencies because alcohol consumption is a major contributor to accidental death and injury in the US and Europe (Pedersen, Larimer & Lee, 2010). The US congress passed the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act in 1986 and 1989 that was aimed at controlling incidents of personal injury, deaths caused by alcohol abuse, sexual assaults and campus assaults (Schwartz et al., 2010). Research studies conducted in Europe has established a correlation of alcohol abuse to university student’s poor academic or occupational performance, accidents and physical injuries. This creates a common need for concerted efforts towards research aimed devising ways of combating this menace. Research should be focused on understanding how alcohol abuse fits into young people’s lives and how it is embedded in their numerous developmental phases. This can have significant contributions towards establishing strong foundations for understanding the etiology that can be used to effect positive change (Lyvers et al., 2010). The Bangor University administration recognizes the effects of alcohol and other drugs on student academic performance, and it taken initiative in putting up interventionist measures to curb the vice. There are student counsellors available throughout the semesters who are available to students who can seek their services on a voluntary basis for counselling sessions about alcohol and drug related problems. The student faculty has a students’ union advice centre that offers extended services in collaboration with local community agencies that create awareness on drug abuse and alcohol consumption. The university’s website has a special section under student services that offers links to well established and professional anti-drug advocators like CAIS and Alcoholics Anonymous. These are registered charity organisations committed to combating alcohol abuse and other related drug problems through counselling and other interventionist programs. CAIS is a registered charity organisation that offers personal support services in Wales. It is involved in helping people with addiction problems a service that can have significant results in helping students with a drinking problem at Bangor University overcome their drinking problems. Changing attitudes and sociocultural perspectives in society with regard to alcohol consumption is seen as a sure of combating drinking by university students. References Bowman, N. A. (2010). The development of psychological well-being among first-year college students. Journal of College Student Development, 51(2), 180-200. Carlson, S. R., Johnson, S. C., & Jacobs, P. C. (2010). Disinhibited characteristics and binge drinking among university student drinkers. Addictive behaviours, 35(3), 242-251. Davis, C. 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