Previous research has suggested that student athletes consume more alcohol, and therefore are at a higher risk of experiencing negative effects related to alcohol consumption in comparison to non-student-athletes. Sex and race/ethnicity may also impact alcohol use in student athletes; as previous studies have demonstrated that males may engage in heavier alcohol use and students of color may be at risk for more alcohol-related consequences (ARC). Participation in drinking games has also been linked to heavier alcohol consumption and increased risk of ARC. Additionally, sex and race/ethnicity may also influence students’ willingness to participate in drinking games. This study examines sex and racial/ethnic differences in drinking game participation in NCAA student athletes.
The study’s sample consisted 11,839 student athletes from NCAA institutions who indicated participating in drinking games. Participants were asked to report their age, sex, sport type, and school affiliation. Drinking game behaviors were assessed using the Hazardous Drinking Game Measure (HDGM). The Daily Drinking Questionnaire was used to measure total drinks per week. Data was analyzed using three-level hierarchical linear modeling to assess potential relationships between drinking game frequency and sex and drinking game frequency and race/ethnicity.
Results of the data analysis showed that being a White student athlete was associated with more frequent drinking game participation in comparison to Black or Hispanic student athletes. Among White student athletes, there was no influence of sex on drinking game frequency. However, among Black and Asian American/ Pacific Islander (AAPI) student athletes, there was an association between being male and frequency of drinking game participation. Being a Black student athlete was associated with greater drinking game consumption. Among White, AAPI, and Hispanic student athletes there was a greater association between being a male and drinking game consumption. Female student athletes had a stronger association between drinking game participation and frequency and likelihood of experiencing drinking game consequences in comparison to male athletes.
Takeaway: Sex and race/ethnicity may provide some predictive value when assessing drinking game behaviors and consequences in college student athletes.
Zamboanga B.L., Merrill J.E., Olthuis J.V., et al. A National Study on Drinking Game Behaviors and Related Consequences Among NCAA Student-Athletes: Racial/Ethnic and Sex Differences. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 2022;83(1):74-84.