Young adults aged 18-29 are at the highest risk of developing alcohol use disorders (AUD). College students in particular have been shown to drink more frequently and heavily than non-college attending individuals of the same age. Athletic participation during college has also been associated with more frequent alcohol use, greater drinking quantity, and alcohol-related consequences. This study examines the relationship between athletic participation, high risk personality traits (impulsivity and sensation-seeking), and perception of peer drinking behavior on binge drinking behaviors throughout college.
The study’s sample consisted of 2,245 college students from a large public southwestern university. Students were recruited during the summer prior to their first year of college. Participants completed a survey at baseline (T1), three weeks before the end of each semester of their four years of college (T2-T8), and annually each fall of the following two years (T9-T10). The surveys assessed binge drinking frequency during the past three months, athletic participation, perceived peer group drinking norms, and perceived peer group injunctive drinking norms. The Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) was used to assess sensation-seeking and impulsivity. Data was analyzed using negative binomial latent growth models.
Results of the data analysis showed that rates of binge drinking increased throughout college and then plateaued and gradually decreased near graduation. More time spent participating in athletics prior to college was associated with higher rates of binge drinking upon entry into college. Peer group descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and sensation seeking were significant predictors of binge drinking at T1 but peer descriptive norms were the only significant predictor of changes in binge drinking across college. Athletic participation at the T8 was not associated with drinking at the end of college or following graduation. Injunctive norms, descriptive norms, and sensation seeking at T1 were all significant predictors of binge drinking at the end of college. Lastly, peer group injunctive norms were associated with decreases in binge drinking post college, whereas sensation seeking was associated with increases in binge drinking post college.
Takeaway: Athletic participation, high risk personality traits, and perception of peer drinking behavior may impact binge drinking behaviors during and post college.