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Relationships between social network characteristics, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences in a large network of first-year college students: How do peer drinking norms fit in?

ABSTRACT: A burgeoning area of research is using social network analysis to investigate college students' substance use behaviors. However, little research has incorporated students' perceived peer drinking norms into these analyses. The present study investigated the association between social network characteristics, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences among first-year college students (N = 1,342; 81% of the first-year class) at one university. The moderating role of descriptive norms was also examined. Network characteristics and descriptive norms were derived from participants' nominations of up to 10 other students who were important to them; individual network characteristics included popularity (indegree), network expansiveness (outdegree), relationship reciprocity, and network density. Descriptive norms were defined as participants' average perceived binge drinking frequency among their nominated peers. Network autocorrelation models revealed that indegree and descriptive norms were positively associated with participants' average number of drinks per week, binge drinking frequency, and alcohol-related consequences. Indegree and outdegree interacted with descriptive norms, such that when participants perceived less frequent binge drinking among their peers, outdegree was associated with less alcohol consumption but not consequences. When participants perceived more frequent binge drinking among their peers, indegree and outdegree were associated with more alcohol consumption but not consequences. The present results suggest that being popular and believing that heavy episodic drinking is normative among one's peers are associated with greater alcohol risk. Further, alcohol risks associated with nominating more peers may be enhanced or lessened depending on students' peer drinking norms. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

SUBMITTER: DiGuiseppi GT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6296870 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Relationships between social network characteristics, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences in a large network of first-year college students: How do peer drinking norms fit in?

DiGuiseppi Graham T GT Meisel Matthew K MK Balestrieri Sara G SG Ott Miles Q MQ Clark Melissa A MA Barnett Nancy P NP

Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 20180927 8

A burgeoning area of research is using social network analysis to investigate college students' substance use behaviors. However, little research has incorporated students' perceived peer drinking norms into these analyses. The present study investigated the association between social network characteristics, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences among first-year college students (<i>N</i> = 1,342; 81% of the first-year class) at one university. The moderating role of descriptive norms w ...[more]

PMID: 30265059

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Project description:BackgroundBinge drinking (BD) refers to a pattern of alcohol consumption characterized by the consumption of large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time followed by periods of abstinence. This drinking pattern is prevalent worldwide, mainly among young people. Excessive alcohol consumption is the spectrum of consumption patterns that may have or have had health consequences, and includes the concepts of risky alcohol use, harmful alcohol use and alcohol dependence according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV), the latter two are currently grouped into alcohol use disorder (AUD) according to the fifth edition of the DSM (DSM-5). Due to the high prevalence of BD among young people, especially university students, as well as the important consequences of its practice, a study was conducted to evaluate excessive alcohol consumption and its relationship with the practice of BD in university students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among students (aged 18-30 years) enrolled in the academic year 2018-2019 at the Faculty of Nursing at a university in northern Spain. Data collection included sociodemographic information, and alcohol use information, collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. To measure the excessive alcohol consumption, this study used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).ResultsA total of 142 participants were included, of which 88.03% were women. Up to 38.03% were classified as BD. Up to 14.77% of non-BD participants and 66.67% of BD participants were classified as risky drinkers (AUDIT Total geq 8 in men or geq 6 in women) (p < 0.001). Up to 3.41% of the non-BD and 24.07% of the BD were drinkers with harmful alcohol use and probable alcohol dependence (AUDIT Total geq 13) (p < 0.001). A total of 5.68% of non-BD and 42.59% of BD were AUD drinkers (AUDIT Total geq 9 in males or geq 8 in females) (p < 0.001). In addition, statistically significant differences were found between the BD and non-BD groups in the responses to each of the AUDIT items, as well as in the total score and also in the scores of the three domains of the questionnaire.ConclusionsExcessive alcohol consumption is frequent among university students, especially among those who practice BD.

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Relationships between social network characteristics, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences in a large network of first-year college students: How do peer drinking norms fit in?

Publications

Relationships between social network characteristics, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences in a large network of first-year college students: How do peer drinking norms fit in?

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