Nearly 40% of college students report drinking weekly which puts college students at an increased risk of developing alcohol and substance use disorders. Student drinkers may also experience alcohol related negative consequences (ARNC) such as regrettable actions, blackouts, injuring oneself or others, and sexual assault. Many factors may influence one’s risk of experiencing ARNC including mental health issues, drinking motivations, and environmental stressors. One environmental stressor that may be particularly impactful is adverse childhood experiences (ACE). This study examines the relationship between individual and cumulative ACE and ARNC among college student drinkers.
The study’s sample consisted of 6,677 college students who participated in the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA II) and the College Student Health Survey (CSHS). Students were asked to report past 30-day alcohol use frequency, binge drinking episodes during the past two weeks, ARNC during the past year, and ethnicity. Seven items from the Adverse Childhood Experience study were used to assess exposure to abuse, household drug and alcohol use, and familial incarceration. Data was analyzed using a series of negative binomial regression models.
Results of the data analysis showed that ACE was associated with a 19 to 41% increase in the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of ARNC. IRRs varied from 1.46 for a single ACE to 2.70 for participants who reported experiencing all 7 ACE assessed. Students who had more ACE exposure experienced significantly more types of ARNC. There were no significant differences in the ACE- ARNC relationship across drinking frequency and binge drinking. However, there were some ethnic differences in the ACE-ARNC relationship across past 30-day drinking frequency.
Takeaway: Adverse childhood experiences may impact the quantity and type of alcohol related negative consequences encountered among college students.