High-risk drinking behaviors are more common among young adults attending college compared to their non-college attending counterparts. Two types of high-risk drinking behaviors are heavy episodic drinking (HED), consuming 4+ (females)/ 5+ (males) drinks during one occasion, and high-intensity drinking (HID), consuming 8+ (females)/ 10+ (males) drinks during one occasion. These behaviors have been associated with negative alcohol-related consequences, however, alcohol is also consumed to experience positive consequences such as relaxation or coping. Additionally, identifying the number of drinks at which these consequences occur has been challenging. This study examines the drinking threshold at which negative and positive consequences occur among college students.
The study’s sample consisted of 96 heavy drinking college students between the ages of 18 and 20. Over 28 days participants were asked to report number of drinks consumed during the prior night and any negative or positive consequences experienced. Negative consequences included: embarrassed yourself, became rude or obnoxious, hurt or injured yourself, felt nauseated or vomited, behaved aggressively, experienced a blackout, and hungover. Positive consequences included: made others laugh, made a new friend, had fun, talked to someone you would not have otherwise, slept better, expressed feelings, and had something that would normally bother you not bother you. Data was analyzed using the Youden Index method.
Results of the data analysis showed that among less frequent heavy drinkers (LFHD), the mean number of drinks consumed was higher on night when negative (6-8 drinks) and positive (4-5 drinks) consequences were experiences than on nights without consequences (3-4 drinks), with the exception of slept better and aggression. Among more frequent heavy drinkers (MFHD), number of drinks impacted nights with versus without four negative consequences (hangover, nausea, blackout, and injury) by 8-9 drinks per night versus 6. In addition, four positive consequences were impacted (fun, talked to someone, not bothered, and slept better) which differed by 7-8 drinks versus 6 drinks. In both groups thresholds for positive consequences were generally lower than for negative consequences.
Takeaway: Among college students, positive consequences associated with alcohol use may be more likely to occur at lower drinking thresholds while more severe negative consequences may occur at higher thresholds.