Research has suggested that undergraduate college students who believe that alcohol plays a central role in college life are likely to drink more frequently. The College Life Alcohol Salience Scale (CLASS) measures alcohol related beliefs, and a recent study used this tool among students from a range of sociodemographic groups to investigate the impact of a students’ background on their drinking beliefs.
A sample consisting of Euro, Asian, African, and Latinx students was assessed using the CLASS to indicate their personal college alcohol related beliefs. Each participant responded to phrases such as “A college party is not a party without alcohol” and “Missing class due to a hangover is part of being a true college student”. When analyzing the results, the students of European descent were used as reference because this population is most frequently assessed by the CLASS.
Overall, the results showed differences in gender, ethnicity, and Greek affiliation. Women reported lower levels of college alcohol beliefs than men. Also, African American and Asian students reported lower levels of college alcohol beliefs than European or Latinx students. Students affiliated with Greek organizations ranked higher college alcohol beliefs.
This study shows that CLASS is a useful tool for diverse students, and that it can help identify groups who have strong beliefs about alcohol being a part of the college experience, and therefore can be targeted in alcohol safety and prevention efforts on college campuses.
Take Away: African American and Asian students feel less strongly about alcohol being a part of the college experience compared to students of European or Latinx descent. Students affiliated with Greek life have strong college alcohol beliefs compared to non-Greek students.