Association of acculturation with drinking games among Hispanic college students

Objective: This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate which components of acculturation relate to drinking games participation among Hispanic college students. We also sought to examine whether the relationships between acculturation and drinking games would differ from the associations between acculturation and other alcohol-related outcomes. Method: A sample of 1,397 Hispanic students aged 18–25 (75% women; 77% US-born) from 30 US colleges and universities completed a confidential online survey. Results: Associations among acculturative processes, drinking games participation, general alcohol consumption, and negative drinking consequences differed across gender. Most significant findings emerged in the domain of cultural practices. For women, US cultural practices were associated with greater general alcohol consumption, drinking games frequency, and amount of alcohol consumed while gaming, whereas for men, US cultural practices were associated with general alcohol consumption and negative drinking consequences. Conclusions: Hispanic and US cultural practices, values, and identifications were differentially associated with drinking games participation, and these associations differed by gender. It is therefore essential for college student alcohol research to examine US culture acquisition and Hispanic culture retention separately and within the domains of cultural practices, values, and identifications.     

Genetic and environmental etiology of drinking motives in college students

Background

Drinking motives are robust proximal predictors of alcohol use behaviors and may mediate distinct etiological pathways in the development of alcohol misuse. However, little is known about the genetic and environmental etiology of drinking motives themselves and their potential utility as endophenotypes.

Methods

Here, we leverage a longitudinal study of college students from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds (phenotypic N = 9889, genotypic N = 4855) to investigate the temporal stability and demographic and environmental predictors of four types of drinking motives (enhancement, social, coping, and conformity). Using genome-wide association study (GWAS) and in silico tools, we characterize their associated genes and genetic variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs).

Results

Drinking motives were stable across four years of college (ICC >0.74). Some robust environmental predictors of alcohol misuse (parental autonomy granting and peer deviance) were broadly associated with multiple types of drinking motives, while others (e.g., trauma exposure) were type specific. Genome-wide analyses indicated modest SNP-based heritability (14–22%, n.s.) and several suggestive genomic loci that corroborate findings from previous molecular genetic studies (e.g., PECR and SIRT4 genes), indicating possible differences in the genetic etiology of positive versus negative reinforcement drinking motives that align with an internalizing/externalizing typology of alcohol misuse. Coping motives were significantly genetically correlated with alcohol use disorder diagnoses (r_g = 0.71, p = 0.001). However, results from the genetic analyses were largely underpowered to detect significant associations.

Conclusions

Drinking motives show promise as endophenotypes but require further investigation in larger samples to further our understanding of the etiology of alcohol misuse.     

Alcohol use contexts (social settings,drinking games/specials,and locations) as predictors of high-intensity drinking on a given day among U.S. young adults

Background

This study examined whether variability in young adult drinking social settings, drinking games/drink price specials, and locations differentiated daily high-intensity drinking (HID) likelihood; whether contexts varied by legal drinking age and college status (attending a 4-year college full-time); and whether legal drinking age and college status moderated drinking context/intensity associations.

Methods

Participants (n = 818 people, 46.3% female) were part of the Young Adult Daily Life Study in 2019 to 2022. They were originally selected because they were past 30-day drinkers from the 2018 U.S. national probability Monitoring the Future 12th grade sample and because they reported one or more days of alcohol use during 14-day data collection bursts across the following 4 years (n = 5080 drinking days). Weighted multilevel modeling was used to estimate drinking context/intensity associations. Drinking intensity was defined as moderate (females 1 to 3, males 1 to 4 drinks), binge (4 to 7, 5 to 9 drinks), or HID (8+, 10+ drinks). Models controlled for other within-person (weekend, historical time period) and between-person (sex and race/ethnicity) covariates.

Results

Contexts differentiating HID and binge drinking days included drinking with large groups, strangers, pregaming, drinking games, and more drinking locations. Legal drinking age was associated with lower odds of free drinks but greater odds of drinking at bars/restaurants. College status was associated with lower odds of drinking alone or free drinks, but greater odds of drinking with friends, large groups, pregaming, drinking games, discounted price drinks, and at bars/restaurants, parties, and more drinking locations. Legal drinking age and college status moderated some context-intensity associations.

Conclusions

Social settings, pregaming, drinking games, and drinking at more locations were associated with increased risk of HID on a given day. Legal drinking age and college status were associated with specific drinking contexts and moderated some context/intensity associations. Incorporating the contexts associated with HID into interventions may help to reduce HID and related consequences in young adults.     

Social anxiety and drinking game participation among university students: the moderating role of drinking to cope

Background: Few studies have examined the relationship of social anxiety with drinking game participation. Drinking games represent a popular form of drinking in university settings. Due to their structure, games may appeal to socially anxious drinkers, particularly among those seeking to fit in or cope with the social setting. Objectives: To examine the relationship of social anxiety with frequency of drinking game participation among a university undergraduate sample and to investigate if drinking motives moderate this association. Method: A total of 227 undergraduate students aged 18–24 years (73% female) who had consumed alcohol in the prior year were included in the current investigation. Hierarchical regression examined the influences of social anxiety and drinking motives on frequency of drinking game participation, as well the interactions of social anxiety with drinking for coping motives and conformity motives. Results: Social anxiety failed to emerge as a significant predictor of frequency of drinking game participation. However, drinking to cope moderated the relationship of social anxiety with frequency of drinking game participation. Socially anxious students who drank to cope were more likely to participate in drinking games on occasions when they consumed alcohol than those who did not endorse this drinking motive. Conclusion: Results demonstrated the influence of drinking to cope in the relationship of social anxiety with frequency of drinking game participation. Future work should examine the relationship with other indicators of drinking game activity. Intervention efforts addressing social anxiety and drinking should consider motives for drinking, as well as drinking patterns.     

Trajectory classes of heavy episodic drinking among Asian American college students

Aims Heavy episodic drinking (HED) among Asian Americans is a growing concern. However, little is known about the etiology and developmental patterns of HED among Asian Americans, even though this group is one of the fastest‐growing populations in the United States. Design Three year longitudinal design. Participants Sample included 404 Asian American college students transitioning from high school, through the college years. Measurement Measures included heavy episodic drinking, parental and peer relationships, alcohol expectancies, drinking values, and alcohol‐related problems. Findings Results from growth‐mixture models (GMM) identified two discrete latent classes of HED comprising 59% of our sample: these trajectory classes (high increasers and low increasers) corresponded to expected changes and stability in well‐established correlates of drinking behaviour, including alcohol‐related problems, personal drinking values and alcohol expectancies. Parental awareness and caring and quality of peer relationships during senior year of high school were associated directly and indirectly with HED class membership. Conclusion These findings advance the literature by providing information about the developmental course of HED among Asian American young adults. The significant within‐group variability in problematic drinking in this sample highlights the fact that subgroups of high‐risk drinkers can be identified even in relatively low‐risk groups such as Asian Americans.     

Examining the relationship between typical drinking behavior and 21st birthday drinking behavior among college students: implications for event-specific prevention

Aims   The purpose of this research was to: (i) compare 21st birthday drinking with typical drinking; (ii) assess the prevalence of negative consequences and risk behaviors experienced during the 21st birthday week; and (iii) examine the role of typical drinking and 21st birthday drinking in explaining 21st birthday week negative consequences and risk behaviors.
Setting and participants   Participants ( n  = 306; 50% male) included college students turning 21 at a Midwestern public university in the United States.
Design and measurement   Approximately 1 week prior to their 21st birthday, students completed measures of typical past 3-month alcohol consumption via a web-based survey. Following their birthday, students ( n  = 296; 50% male) completed measures of 21st birthday week drinking as well as negative consequences and risk behaviors.
Findings   Findings indicated that students consumed considerably larger amounts of alcohol during the week of their 21st birthdays in comparison to typical weekly consumption. Additionally, students experienced a variety of negative consequences and risk behaviors during the week of their 21st birthday, including hangovers, vomiting and not remembering part of the previous evening. Negative binomial regression results indicated that those most likely to experience more negative consequences and risk behaviors associated with 21st birthday drinking were those who consumed heavy amounts of alcohol the week of their birthday, but who did not typically drink excessively.
Conclusions   Findings underscore the need to develop event-specific prevention approaches for occasions associated with extreme drinking and provide direction for considering who may be at greatest risk for problems associated with celebratory drinking.     

Drinking games,tailgating, and pregaming: Precollege predictors of risky college drinking

Background: The transition from high school to college is a critical period for developing college drinking habits. Hazardous alcohol consumption increases during this period, as well as participation in drinking games, pregaming, and tailgating. All of these risky drinking practices are associated with higher levels of intoxication as well as an increased risk of alcohol-related problems. Objective: The current study aimed to evaluate pre-college predictors (personality, social norms, and beliefs reflecting the internalization of the college drinking culture [ICDC]) of estimated peak BAC (pBAC) reached during drinking games, pregaming, and tailgating, as well as pBAC and alcohol-related problems during the first 30 days of college. Methods: Participants (n?=?936) were incoming freshmen at a large university who completed a baseline assessment prior to college matriculation and a follow-up assessment after they had been on campus for 30 days. Results: Using path analysis, ICDC was significantly associated with pBAC reached during the three risky drinking practices. ICDC had an indirect effect on both pBAC and alcohol-related problems via pBAC from drinking games, pregaming, and tailgating. Hopelessness and sensation seeking were significantly related to alcohol use outcomes. Conclusion: Precollege perceptions of the college drinking culture are a stronger predictor of subsequent alcohol use than social norms. Interventions that target these beliefs may reduce peak intoxication and associated harms experienced during the first 30 days of college.     

Adult attachment and drinking context as predictors of alcohol problems and relationship satisfaction in college students

Background: Evidence suggests that for young adults, intimate partners influence each other’s drinking patterns. Therefore, exploration of variables related to intimate partner relationships (such as attachment style) could broaden the current understanding of risk factors for alcohol problems in this demographic. Objectives: The current study examined the role of drinking context in the relationships among insecure attachment, alcohol problems, and relationship satisfaction. A path model was hypothesized where the relationship between insecure attachment and alcohol problems would be explained via two distinct drinking contexts (i.e., drinking with one’s partner and drinking away from one’s partner). It was also hypothesized that the relationship between insecure attachment and relationship satisfaction would be explained via these same two drinking contexts. Methods: Participants were 194 undergraduate students ages 18–25 who reported being in a monogamous intimate partner relationship for at least 90 days and had also consumed alcohol in the past 90 days. The sample was comprised of 76% women and 24% men. Results: The hypothesized direct relationship from anxious attachment to alcohol problems was significant; there were also significant direct paths from both anxious and avoidant attachment to relationship satisfaction. The hypotheses regarding indirect relationships were not supported. Conclusion: The results of this study contribute to the existing literature, in that they suggest that drinking in the context of an intimate relationship may not directly affect relationship satisfaction in this population. However, relationship functioning still appears to be an important variable to consider in the prevention and treatment of alcohol-related problems affecting college students.     

Interaction between the ADH1B*3 allele and drinking motives on alcohol use among Black college students

Background: Black young adults have lower rates of alcohol use than other racial groups. Genetic factors may protect against drinking. Specifically, the ADH1B*3 allele is present almost exclusively in Black populations and has been protective against alcohol use and alcohol use disorder. The protective effects of the ADH1B*3 allele, however, may differ as a function of alcohol-promoting cognitions. Objectives: The current study examined whether ADH1B*3 moderated relations of drinking motives with alcohol consumption among Black college drinkers. Methods: Participants were 241 undergraduate students of self-identified Black race (mean age = 20 years; 66% female) who reported consuming alcohol at least once in the past 30 days. Results: ADH1B*3 was not significantly associated with drinking motives or drinking behaviors. However, significant, albeit small, interaction effects of ADH1B*3 with drinking motives on drinking behavior were found; the presence of an ADH1B*3 allele protected against greater drinking quantity among students with high social motives (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.95, 95% CI [0.92, 0.99]) and against frequent drinking among students with low coping motives (IRR = 1.06, 95% CI [1.01, 1.11]). Conclusion: These findings represent a novel demonstration of genetic modulation of alcohol-related cognitions within Black college drinkers, although replication is needed. Results represent an initial step toward better characterizing individual differences in associations of drinking motives with drinking behavior, with potential implications for interventions aimed at motivational processes in alcohol use.     

ALDH2*2 and peer drinking in East Asian college students

Background: The ALDH2*2 allele (A-allele) at rs671 is more commonly carried by Asians and is associated with alcohol-related flushing, a strong adverse reaction to alcohol that is protective against drinking. Social factors, such as having friends who binge drink, also contribute to drinking in Asian youth. Objectives: This study examined the interplay between ALDH2*2, peer drinking, and alcohol consumption in college students. We hypothesized that the relationship between ALDH2*2 and standard grams of ethanol per month would vary based on the level of peer drinking. Methods: Subjects (N = 318, 63.25% female) were East Asian college students in the United States who reported drinking alcohol. Data were from the freshman year of a university survey that included a saliva DNA sample. ALDH2*2 status was coded ALDH2*2(+) (A/G and A/A genotypes) and ALDH2*2(?) (G/G genotype). Peer drinking was students’ perception of how many of their friends “got drunk”. Results: Main effects of ALDH2*2(?) and having more friends who got drunk were associated with greater alcohol consumption. The ALDH2*2 × peer drunkenness interaction showed a stronger positive association with alcohol consumption for ALDH2*2(?) versus ALDH2*2(+) at increasing levels of peer drunkenness. Follow-up comparisons within each peer drunkenness level identified significantly higher alcohol consumption for ALDH2*2(?) compared to ALDH2*2(+) at the all friends got drunk level.

Conclusion: There was evidence of a stronger effect for ALDH2*2(?) compared to ALDH2*2(+) with greater alcohol use when students were more exposed to peer drinking. Findings contribute to a growing literature on the interrelationships between genetic influences and more permissive environments for alcohol consumption.     

Cross-sectional and prospective association between internet addiction and risk of fatigue among Chinese college students

Severe internet addiction (IA) is associated with a higher risk of musculoskeletal pain, but whether there is a significant prospective association between IA and fatigue is unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between IA and fatigue level among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional (n = 1011) and prospective study (n = 653) was conducted to examine the association between IA and risk of fatigue. IA was measured using Young internet addiction test. Fatigue level was evaluated using the Chalder fatigue scale. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a cross-sectional association between IA and the risk of fatigue. The odds ratios (95% CIs) of fatigue for normal, mild, and moderate to severe groups were 1.00 (reference), 1.88 (1.20, 2.95), and 5.60 (3.33, 9.42), respectively (P for trend: <0.001). Similarly, multivariate logistic regression analyses also revealed a significant prospective relationship between IA and the risk of fatigue during the 1-year follow-up period. The odds ratios (95% CIs) of fatigue for normal, mild, and moderate to severe groups were 1.00 (reference), 1.56 (0.67, 3.67), and 3.29 (1.08, 10.04), respectively (P for trend: 0.046). Our findings indicate that IA is positively related to risk of fatigue among Chinese college students. Further interventional studies are needed to explore the causality underlying the effects of IA on fatigue.     

Sex, HIV risks, and substance use among Asian American college students.

In this study of 248 predominantly heterosexual Asian American college students, we found some HIV risks: lifetime prevalence of unprotected sex (37%), alcohol before sex (23.8%), and drug use before sex (6.0%). The prevalence of lifetime anal sex is only 9%, but 90.48% of those who have ever had anal sex did so without a condom. The Sexual Risk Indices, measured with a 13 item risky sexual behavior checklist, are positively associated with age. Most students have inadequate HIV knowledge. Acculturation is positively associated with the 30-day HIV Sexual Risk Index and HIV Knowledge Score. Preference for speaking English at home and for American entertainment is associated with higher likelihood of sexual activities, safe or unsafe. Lifetime Sexual Risk Index is also associated with 30-day and lifetime alcohol use. Lifetime drug use is associated with 30-day and lifetime Sexual Risk Indices. Alcohol before use in the lifetime also reliably predicts unprotected sex in the lifetime.     

Alcohol use among Hispanic college students along the US/Mexico border

Background: The trend of alcohol use among college students has been shown to vary by ethnicity and has been linked to acculturation among Hispanics. Consistent findings indicate that males consume alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities compared to females. Objectives: This study investigated the drinking habits of Hispanic college students living in the border region of South Texas. The study evaluated the influence of acculturation on alcohol consumption among Hispanic males and females. Methods: Two hundred and ninety-six Hispanic students participated in this study. The participants reported their drinking behaviors over the past 30 days and completed a measure of acculturation. Results: Fifty-nine percent of the participants reported consuming alcohol in the past 30 days with more males than females reporting alcohol consumption. Logistic regression analysis indicated that age and gender, and not acculturation or enculturation, predicted drinking in the last 30 days. Among drinkers, the regression analyses indicated that gender and lower levels of Anglo orientation were linked to increased alcohol consumption, suggesting that Hispanics who were less oriented toward the Anglo culture consumed more alcohol than those more oriented toward the Anglo culture. Among drinkers, males and females did not differ in frequency or binge drinking, but males consumed more alcohol than females. Conclusion: Previous research indicates that greater acculturation is linked to greater consumption of alcohol; however, we found it to be associated with less consumption. The findings regarding gender represent some consistencies with previous research but there are some inconsistencies as well. These results suggest that less acculturated Hispanic male college students residing in the border region may be at a higher risk of alcohol abuse than Hispanic female students and more acculturated male students.