The Comparisons of Binge Drinking among Underage College Students who Live in Dormitories, Off-Campus, or with Parents - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... Possible methods of reducing rates of binge drinking for both students living on- and off-campus are addressed, keeping in mind that it is both the responsibility of society and college administrators to take steps to reduce the deleterious effects of binge drinking on students’ intellectual and professional development. The Comparisons of Binge Drinking among Underage College Students who Live in Dormitories, in Housing Off-Campus, or with their Parents Binge drinking is a well-known problem in communities of undergraduate college students, regardless of their specific living situations (Courtney & Polich, 2009). In addition to having long-term neurophysiological effects, binge drinking presents a definite challenge to academic success of students who develop a long-term habit of engaging in risky drinking behavior. Howland et al. (2010) discovered that binge drinking affects neurocognitive measures and mood states, which may negatively affect a student’s performance on academic performance tests. ...
However, the excessive alcohol consumption that defines “binge drinking” not only leads to deleterious effects on students’ academic performance, but to other negative effects on various long-term goals. For instance, the heavy drinking associated with binge drinking is correlated with risky sexual behavior that may lead to unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (Scott-Sheldon, Carey, & Carey, 2010). Correlations also exist between suicidal behavior, ideation, and binge drinking among a college-age sample, which leads to the conclusion that binge drinking may pose an imminent threat to the lives of some young people (Schaffer, Jeglic, & Stanley, 2008). Accordingly, responsibility for interventions in college student binge drinking extends beyond college administrators. With some idea of the scope, effects, and nature of the problem, there is a need to understand the cause of the problem. Peer effects are reportedly a major influence on the rates of binge drinking problems, with first-year male college students reporting a higher rate of binge drinking at college if they are assigned a roommate who likewise reported binge drinking while in high school (Duncan, Boisjoly, Kremer, Levy, & Eccles, 2005). Intuitively, since alcohol consumption is a social phenomenon for non-alcoholics, one would expect that peer pressure and similar influences would play a strong role in determining the rates of binge drinking among college students. Comparable studies show that Greek organizations on college campuses, which host many undergraduates in a single household, are associated with higher rates of binge drinking in their residences (Wechsler, Kuh, & Davenport, 2009). This is further evidence that binge drinking, like more mild forms of ...Download file to see next pagesRead More