Alcohol-related content (ARC) on social media influences college students’ drinking behaviors and motives. While previous research primarily focused on peer-generated ARC, there is a limited understanding of how other sources like alcohol companies and celebrities contribute to drinking patterns and problems among college students. This study examines the relationship between engagement with celebrity ARC, exposure to alcohol company ARC, drinking motives, and alcohol-related problems.
The study involved 454 college students from two public universities in the Southern and Midwestern United States. Data were collected through a cross-sectional online survey, which included questions assessing demographics, drinking motives (using the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised), engagement with celebrity ARC, awareness of alcohol company ARC, peak drinking (the most drinks consumed on one occasion in the past month), and alcohol-related problems using the 25-item Rutgers Alcohol Problems Index. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships between engagement with celebrity ARC, exposure to alcohol company ARC, drinking motives, peak drinking, and alcohol-related problems.
According to the study, the college students who frequently engaged with celebrity alcohol-related content (ARC) on social media had stronger drinking motives related to coping, enhancement, and conformity, as well as higher peak drinking levels and more alcohol-related problems. Furthermore, the study revealed that the relationship between celebrity ARC engagement and alcohol-related problems was partly explained by these drinking motives and peak drinking levels. In contrast, exposure to alcohol company ARC did not show a significant link to drinking motives, peak drinking, or alcohol-related problems when the influence of celebrity ARC was considered. These findings suggest that celebrity ARC has a greater impact on students’ drinking behaviors, highlighting the need for interventions that address the influence of celebrity-driven alcohol content.
Takeaway: Celebrity alcohol-related content (ARC) on social media exerts a significant influence on college students’ drinking behaviors, highlighting the importance of addressing this content in interventions aimed at mitigating student drinking issues.