A recent study used latent class analysis to examine the relation between drinking identity and drinking behaviors. Participants were 456 first- or second-year U.S. college students aged 18 to 20 years. 53% identified as White and 20% were members of a fraternity or sorority. These students completed a survey on their past-month drinking behaviors, alcohol-related consequences, and symptoms of alcohol dependence. The following latent classes were created based on survey responses: Lifetime non-drinker (37.5%), recent non-drinker/past risk, light drinker, moderate drinker, and heavy drinker (nearly 20%). Implicit drinking identity was assessed using a modified version of the Implicit Association Test and explicit drinking identify was assessed using the Alcohol Self-Concept Scale. Explicit and implicit drinking identity and Greek membership were found to be significant predictors of overall class membership. Stronger implicit and explicit drinking identities were associated with membership in the heavy drinker class. Results also suggest students who drink at low levels may not have significantly different drinking identities than their peers who abstain from alcohol and drinking identity may be more strongly influenced by risky past drinking events than by recent drinking without consequences.
Take away: In this sample, implicit and explicit drinking identities significantly predicted overall membership in drinking classes created by the researchers. Although more research is needed, drinking identities may present additional opportunities for interventions to risky drinking.