Approximately 77% of college students report ever having used alcohol. High-risk alcohol consumption can lead to a variety of adverse effects, making it an area of interest for many researchers. A large number of these studies have excluded international college students (students enrolled in higher education institutions in the United States on a temporary visa). Alcohol consumption can be influenced by culture and social norms. Gender may also influence alcohol-related behaviors through social norms. This study examines the relationship between perceptions of drinking culture and alcohol consumption among international college students.  

The study’s sample consisted of 3,081 undergraduate college students from a midsize Midwestern university. Approximately 17.3% of the sample were international students (62.3% from China). Participants completed an online survey that assessed number of drinking days per week, typical number of drinks on drinking days, and highest number of drinks they consumed during an occasion in the past 30 days. Social norms were assessed in two contexts: descriptive norms (prevalence, quantity, and frequency of drinking behavior) and injunctive norms (perception of approval or disapproval during different drinking contexts). Data was analyzed using three-way ANCOVAs to assess for relationships between international student status, year in school, and gender on social norms while controlling for alcohol consumption.  

Results of the data analysis showed that 84.3% of students (88.2% domestic; 60.6% international) had ever consumed alcohol. Compared to international students, domestic students perceived others drank more frequently and larger quantities. Domestic students were also more likely to believe other students’ approval of drinking behaviors. However, international students began to overestimate drinking patterns as they transitioned from 2nd to 3rd year in school. International students’ perceptions of others’ approval of drinking also increased as time in college increased. Lastly, among international students, women endorsed social norms more than men. 

Takeaway: International college students may not overestimate drinking norms as consistently as domestic students, however as time in college increases assimilation into US drinking culture may result in greater support of drinking norms.  

Guo, Y., Ward, R.M., Speed, S., Legreaux, S.J., Cefalo, J.L., Miljkovic, K.. Examining alcohol-related social norms among international and domestic students in the United States [published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 8]. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse. 2022;1-15. doi:10.1080/15332640.2022.2091700