First-year university students in the United States are often purported to be at increased risk for initiation of dangerous drinking. As most students transition from living at home with family members to living amongst their peers on or near campus, the norms of alcohol consumption also shift dramatically. Social media has been a suggested vehicle of influence in young adults’ lives, especially as it pertains to the development of descriptive and injunctive norms concerning different forms of social behavior. This study aims to identify potential associations between social media use and drinking behaviors of first-year undergraduate students.
Students from a medium-sized private university in the West Coast region were recruited during orientation activities to participate in the present study. A total of 297 were entered into the study sample, all meeting the following eligibility criteria: being at least 18 years old, owing an Apple or Android-operated smartphone, having at least one active social media account, and reporting on-campus residence for their first year of classes. Participants completed surveys during the month before (July) and the month after the start of fall semester classes (October), as well as the last complete month of spring classes (March). The following measures were assessed: social media use (via RescueTime Inc. phone application tracking software), perceived drinking norms (via Drinking Norms Rating Form), and alcohol use (via Daily Drinking Questionnaire). RescueTime software was downloaded by participants in express cooperation with the research team. Additional phone battery usage data was also requested and received by the team in the form of screenshot data created by participants. Data analysis was conducted using t-tests, covariations, and parallel exploratory models.
Results found mean daily social media usage to be 104 minutes, with women using social media on average 14 minutes more per day than men (p<0.05). Tracking data revealed Snapchat then Instagram to be the most used social media platforms. Regression data and exploratory modelling found that, overall, as men increased use of social media, they reported significantly higher perceived drinking norms and greater weekly alcohol consumption. This trend was not found to be significant among women.
Takeaway: social media use may influence drinking patterns among undergraduate students, especially in men. Further research is needed to investigate relationships between the proposed variables.