Alcohol use among university students in the United States continues to pose public health risks which affect students and their surrounding communities. Negative impacts of dangerous drinking in this demographic include declines in mental health, physiological ailments, social dysregulation, and numerous safety concerns. In attempts to mitigate college student drinking, health official and administrators alike prefer to rely on preventative and early intervention efforts in order to improve the health of their campuses. Identification of at-risk individuals is key in this approach. This study aims to evaluate strategies to quantify alcohol use among peer groups using egocentric network analysis.
The study’s sample was composed of 309 university students, aged 18-26, who agreed to participate in the project using Amazon’s MTurk software. This software allows for sophisticated data networks to be developed using a given database. Participants responded to surveys which measured the following variables using the MTurk software: demographics, alcohol use (via Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C), identification of important peers, and identification of peer drinking habits. The data was analyzed using the E-Net software within MTurk which assimilates egos and peer networks in a process referred to as egocentric network analysis. Hierarchical regression analysis was used in detecting differences across variables.
Results of the analysis found it is acceptable to use comprehensive peer network surveying in assessing peer relationships and alcohol consumption. Metrics which focused on drinking frequency, typical drinking patterns, and binge drinking frequency were found to be the most reliable in their predictive value. Members of Greek-affiliated networks were found to have the strongest associations regarding peer and personal alcohol use.
Takeaway: when assessing peer networks for alcohol use patterns, it is appropriate to use comprehensive measures which pertain to alcohol use patterns, frequency, and binge drinking frequency. Additional attention may be drawn to networks which contain Greek-affiliated members when seeking to identify at-risk individuals/groups.