Previous studies have shown that pregaming (also known as pre-drinking) can be hazardous and lead to increased intoxication and negative alcohol-related consequences. On average, 60-75% of college students report pregaming within the last month. It is not clear what group of individuals are most vulnerable to the negative consequences of pregaming. Some evidence suggests that it could be females. The goal of this study is to compare female collegiate pre-gamers to non-pre-gamers on salivary cortisol and surveys.
The study consisted of 34 female college students ages 19 to 28. These students’ salivary cortisol was collected at waking, 30 minutes after waking, and at 10 a.m. These students also completed pencil and paper surveys asking questions relating to demographics, alcohol use history, and mental health. Pregaming for the participants was defined as “the act of drinking alcohol before going out to events where alcohol is served.” Drinking motives were measured using the Cooper questionnaire, and mental health included the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Index. Results showed that pre-gamers were more likely to report lifetime use of any illicit drugs and reported earlier age of first intoxication. Non-pre-gamers experienced more of an increase in their cortisol within the first 30 minutes of waking than pre-gamers.
Salivary cortisol was measured because blunted cortisol reactivity to environmental stressors has been associated with addiction. The results agree with preexisting literature, college pre-gamers reported more hazardous drinking behaviors. Pre-drinkers also showed a trend of coping motives for drinking. This study is one of the first of its kind, and its results will contribute to determining what groups of individuals are most vulnerable to the negative consequences of pregaming. One thing that the authors of this study suggested was informing incoming college students about student health stress and coping strategies as well as the dangers of pre-drinking.
Takeaway: Female collegiate pre-gamers experienced more hazardous drinking behaviors and reported less of an increase in their cortisol within the first 30 minutes of waking when compared to non-pre-gamers.