The Comparisons of Binge Drinking Among Underage College Students - Research Paper Example

?Running head: BINGE DRINKING AND HOUSING The Comparisons of Binge Drinking among Underage College who Live in Dormitories, in Housing Off-Campus, or with their Parents Author Author Affiliation Abstract Binge drinking is a well-established problem, particularly for underage college undergraduates. Several possible demographic and non-demographic correlates to binge drinking are assessed, including the possible relationship between the kind of housing a student occupies and his or her binge drinking behavior. Kind of housing, as well as fraternity/sorority affiliation and tendency toward risky behaviors, are found to be statistically significant in predicting binge-drinking behavior in college undergraduates. 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. Given that students are attending college in order to learn, the fact that binge drinking inhibits that goal in measurable ways means that educational administrators must bear in mind that excessive alcohol consumption is a problem that directly affects the ability of students to reach their intellectual potential. Studies that attempt to clarify or explain the various factors that lead to higher rates of binge drinking in an undergraduate college student community will help officials create policies to reduce the problematic aspects of this behavior. 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 alcohol consumption, is a social event that is influenced to some degree by peer effects. The available research seems to suggest a connection between the residence of students and the rate/amount of drinking those students do on a given occasion. Willoughby and Carroll (2009) discovered a significant difference in risk-taking behavior in college students depending on their campus residence. Students living in co-ed facilities were more likely than students living in gender-specific facilities to binge drink and consume alcohol, indicating a significant effect. Knowing that style of residence has an effect on binge drinking, it is important to recognize that trends in college student housing are changing. The “campus edge” is a changing concept, with more students choosing to live in housing that is off-campus, in neighborhoods, and not bound by the restrictions on alcohol one sees in college dormitories (Martin & Allen, 2009). Fewer alcohol restrictions offer an advantage for students who anticipate participating in binge drinking behavior. With shifting trends in college housing toward the “campus edge,” and binge drinking as a significant problem facing both students and their respective colleges, it is an important research project to determine whether the kind of residence a student lives in has a significant effect on their level of binge drinking relative to the population mean. An analysis of the most popular kinds of student residences in terms of rates and amounts of alcohol consumption will yield some insights into addressing the problem of binge drinking, especially among underage, underclassman students for whom drinking is less familiar. For the purposes of this study, three major kinds of residences for underage students are considered: co-ed residence halls (or dormitories), off-campus housing shared between students, and off-campus housing shared between a student and his or her parents. Based on findings related to students’ risk-taking behavior in various kinds of student residences, we anticipate that the most significant correlation will exist between risky alcohol consumption and off-campus housing shared between students. Method Participants This study recruited undergraduate students (n=223) aged 18 to 20 attending a large public university to participate in a brief survey regarding their binge drinking habits and their college residence. Participants were recruited from the university’s Department of Psychology research participant list (n=110) and from an ad visible only to members of the university’s social network on social networking websites (n=113). Participants from the Psychology Department’s directory received course credit for taking part in the study, and participants who responded to the ad were rewarded with a chance to win a cash prize of $50 for participation in the study. Participants were not screened for alcohol abusive behaviors. The participants consisted primarily of first-year college students (n=126), but also some second-year college students (n=62) and third-year college students (n=35). 61% of participants were female and 87% self-identified themselves as white, non-Hispanic. 45% of participants (n=100) reported themselves as living in co-ed residence halls or dormitories on campus, leaving 29% (n=65) and 26% (n=58) reporting themselves as living in off-campus housing shared between students and living in off-campus housing shared with parents respectively. 19% (n=42) of those surveyed indicated that they live or are a member of a Greek organization (defined as a fraternity or a sorority), which have been empirically linked to higher levels of binge drinking among underage college students (Wechsler, Kuh, & Davenport, 2009). Lastly, 25% (n=55) of participants reported a history of binge drinking or participating in heavy drinking events either in high school or college, and 18% of participants (n=37) reported total abstinence from alcohol both in high school and in college. Materials The online survey begins with fields into which participants can type their personal identifying information so that they could be rewarded for their participation (their university-given identification code) and their demographic information (including age, sex, race, relationship status, fraternity/sorority affiliation, athletic team affiliation, year in school, and height/weight). Additional factoring considered was mode of college residence and risky behavior. The next section of the online survey assessed alcohol consumption, including binge drinking habits, by means of the Daily Drinking Questionnaire, an empirically verified measure of alcoholism, notable changes in alcoholic consumption, and binge drinking episodes within the past two weeks and past month (Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985). Information collected by the survey was automatically transcribed into a spreadsheet format for correlational analysis. Procedure Participants were told that their responses would be confidential, and personal information would be used only for the purposes of distributing rewards. Participants were directed to the online survey. Those who were recruited from the Psychology Department’s participant list were given a link to the survey through their campus email addresses, along with instructions on how to complete the survey and the rewards for participating. Those who were recruited from ads on social networking websites were asked to follow the link included on the ad, along with information about the possible rewards for participating. 2% (n=5) participants elected to complete the survey in paper form. Results This study presents demographic correlations to binge drinking habits among underage college students. Age did not play a significant role in predicting whether individuals would participate in binge drinking activities. Since the survey was not administered to individuals older the 21, the odds ratios of underage individuals could not be compared to those of individuals who can legally consume alcohol. Year in school, on a scale of 1 to 3, played an equally insignificant role in predicting whether an underage student will participate in binge drinking. However, significant results were obtained for race and relationship status. Students who self-reported as white, non-Hispanic indicated a high odds ratio (OR=2.55), as did students who self-reported their relationship as single (OR=2.73). Additional demographic correlates of binge drinking, including fraternity/sorority affiliation, weighty, and so on are given in Table 1. It is important to highlight the results obtained for the correlation between kind of college residence and binge drinking habits. Logistic regression results for students indicated a significant role for this variable relative to the other demographic correlates given in Table 1. Table 1—Regression Results, Divided into Individual Correlates (n=223) Factor Odds Ratio (OR) Variables Demographic Factors Age 2.06 1.97 2.03 18 19 20 Race 2.55 2.03 1.14 1.86 1.77 White, non-Hispanic White, Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander African-American No Response Sex 2.32 2.14 Male Female Relationship Status 2.73 2.12 Single Relationship Fraternity/sorority affiliation 5.12 1.82 Affiliation No Affiliation Athletic team affiliation 2.45 1.98 Affiliation No Affiliation Year in school 1.87 1.96 1.92 Freshman (1) Sophomore (2) Junior (3) Binge drinking history 1.01 1.92 2.39 Zero past events 1-10 past events 11+ past events Height/Weight 1.02 1.67 2.02 1.77 Underweight (BMI: < 18.5) Normal (BMI: 18.5-24.9) Overweight (BMI: 25-29.9) Obese (BMI: > 30) Non-Demographic Factors Risky behaviors 3.09 2.24 4.56 Marijuana smoking Cigarette smoking Risky sexual activity Kind of residence 2.98 4.87 1.25 Co-ed res. hall/dormitory Shared (between students) Shared (with parents) Similar to affiliation with a fraternity or a sorority (OR=5.12), the kind of college residence played a significant role in predicting whether a college student would participate in binge drinking events. While students living in a residence shared with their parents had a very low odds ratio of having binge drinking events in the recent past (OR=1.25), this ratio was significantly higher among those students who share a residence with other students on- or off-campus. Compared to students who live in co-ed residence halls and dormitories (OR=2.98), this is significantly higher. An individual living in a co-ed residence hall or dormitory (OR=2.98) is slightly more likely to binge drink as an individual affiliated with an athletic team (OR=2.45). An individual living in a residence shared between students (OR=4.87) is slightly less likely to engage in binge drinking events as an individual affiliated with a fraternity or sorority (OR=5.12). An analysis of risky behavior’s correlation with binge drinking events reveals that empirically supported connections between binge drinking and risky behavior holds true: an individual who engages in risky sexual activity (OR=4.56) is almost as likely to engage in binge drinking events as an individual living in a shared residence between students (OR=4.87). Refer to Figure 1 for a visualization of these results. Discussion In terms of the original hypothesis, the results indicate that there is indeed a statistically significant predictive factor associated with binge drinking. We anticipated that students living off-campus in housing shared between students would demonstrate higher rates of self-reported binge drinking events relative to students living in co-ed residence halls under the purview of colleges and universities, and private residences shared with the student’s parents. In fact, as expected, binge drinking events are quite low among students who share a residence with their parents (OR=1.25). From these results, one may conclude that the kind of residence does play a significant moderating role in excessive alcohol consuming behavior among underage college students. In addition, as discovered by Willoughby and Carroll (2009), the kind of residence plays a role in risk-taking behavior in general. For students engaged in risk-taking behavior, odds ratios for binge drinking habituation are highly correlated. “Risk-taking” also refers to other behaviors, such as marijuana smoking, cigarette smoking, and risky sexual relations. As was mentioned previously, college administrators are trying to address the academic problems created by the growing trend of binge drinking among underage students. Wechsler et al. (2000) surveyed college administrators to study what their colleges are doing to prevent binge drinking. The researchers found that prevention practices included general education about alcohol, limiting access and advertisements of alcoholic products, and instituting alcohol-free living spaces in college dormitories. Most surveyed colleges reported having task forces or in-house specialists charged with limiting the deleterious effects of binge drinking on campus life (Wechsler, Kelley, Weitzman, Giovanni, & Seibring, 2000). College administrators may benefit from the results of this study in terms of realizing that not all bad outcomes from binge drinking can be affected by college-based programming. Although the college can limit permissions to use alcohol in college-owned residential properties, off-campus housing (which is increasing in popularity nationwide according to Martin and Allen (2009)) still makes it necessary for society to address the negative impacts of binge drinking outside of the academic channels. Given the present and future cost of binge drinking deaths and lost productivity, it is in the best interest of society to do so. For evidence to this point, consider a longitudinal study of former college students with high rates of binge drinking events during their college career conducted by Jennison (2004). Binge drinking habits during a college career generated significant risk factors for alcohol dependence and abuse after 10 years, along with evidence of academic attrition, early departure from college and less favorable labor market outcomes (Jennison, 2004). There do not seem to be catchall solutions for limiting the prevalence of binge drinking among college students in off-campus residences shared between students. Beer and other alcoholic beverages near college campuses are relatively price inelastic, meaning the price of these products do not have a great effect on the demand for them (Chaloupka & Wechsler, 1996). Promising results on a social marketing media campaign to reduce binge drinking on college campuses is emerging. In a study of exerting normative social peer effects on students to stop binge drinking, Glider et al. (2001) discovered that implementing social networking media campaigns led to a 29.2% decrease in binge drinking at a major public university. This is an important result because, as was discussed above, social peer effects are a large driver of social binge drinking, “casual” alcohol abuse, and risky sexual behavior (Duncan, Boisjoly, Kremer, Levy, & Eccles, 2005). If social peer effects can be used in the opposite manner, through social network media campaigns, then institutional changes at the college level (which cannot extend to off-campus residences where binge drinking is more likely to happen) will not be the only solution to the problem. Although this study examined the effects of fraternity/sorority affiliation, this is not necessarily meant to indicate causality between Greek organization membership and binge drinking. There are great individual differences between members of these organizations, which are recognized even by studies that indicate Greek organizations tend to have higher rates of binge drinking (Wechsler, Kuh, & Davenport, 2009). Additional research into why members might be differentially drawn to binge drinking indicates that drinking rates and patterns, drinking-related problems, family history of alcohol problems, alcohol outcome expectancies, and high school drinking patterns each have a part in creating individual differences (Larimer, Anderson, Baer, & Marlatt, 2000). The same principles apply to differences between individuals occupying the various kinds of residences, which makes generalizing odds ratios from the data collected here difficult to do reliably. Future research might examine the interplay between the factors indicated above (for which data was not collected) and the kind of residence in order to develop a more nuanced view of what predisposes individuals toward binge drinking habits within their respective environments. Another limitation of the present study is that while the participants surveyed indicated what kind of residence they live in and how many binge drinking events they have had in the recent past, this does not account for binge drinking events that have occurred at other residences. For instance, first-year students living in residence halls and dormitories may socialize and engage in binge drinking at an off-campus location. In the results, this binge drinking would appear as occurring within a residence hall, since the respondent has indicated that he or she lives in a residence hall. To remove this potentially confusing factor, future research might localize the binge drinking event more effectively by asking participants to classify the kind of residence in which their binge drinking events actually occurred, rather than generalizing this to the kind of residence in which they currently live. College administrators should recognize the importance of localizing their binge drinking problems, and addressing the problem to whatever degree it occurs in college residence halls and dormitories. Understanding the prevalence and locations of this destructive behavior can aid in tackling the issue. References Chaloupka, F., & Wechsler, H. (1996). Binge drinking in college: The impact of price, availability, and alcohol control policies. Contemporary Economic Policy, 14, 112–124. Collins, R., Parks, G. A., & Marlatt, G. (1985). Social determinants of alcohol consumption: The effects of social interaction and model status on the self-administration of alcohol. 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