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

Abstract

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.

Is Prepartying a Cause of Heavy Drinking and Consequences Rather Than Just a Correlate? A Longitudinal Look at the Relationship Between Prepartying, Alcohol Approval, and Subsequent Drinking and Consequences

“…For example, those who have high positive expectancies with regard to alcohol consumption (e.g., it would make it easier to talk with people) are more likely to preparty and play drinking games than those with lower expectancies (Zamboanga, Schwartz, Ham, Borsari, & Van Tyne, 2010). Also, students who preparty are more likely to report that the reason they drink is to get intoxicated (Reed et al, 2011; Wahl, Sonntag, Roehrig, Kriston, & Berner, 2013) and that they agree with statements reflecting the stereotypical college drinking culture, like “college is a time for experimentation with alcohol” (Moser, Pearson, Hustad, & Borsari, 2014). Regarding personality traits, those who preparty tend to display a greater propensity to seek out immediate reward and positive feelings (Haas et al, 2013).…”

What’s in a game? Future directions for the assessment and treatment of drinking games

“…Data presented here both by Moser and colleagues (55) and by Schwartz and colleagues (35) speak to how closely tied drinking games are to the culture and drinking experiences of young adults in the United States. It will be interesting to see the extent to which drinkers are amenable to intervention on drinking games and other risky drinking practices (e.g.…”

Drinking Game Participation Among High School and Incoming College Students

“…Thus, impulsivity does not appear to be associated with whether or not high schoolers report current DG participation; rather, impulsivity relates to negative consequences. With regard to incoming college students, one study found that after controlling for alcohol indices and other psychosocial variables, higher levels of sensation seeking (but not impulsivity) were associated with higher peak blood alcohol concentrations while playing DGs (Moser, Pearson, Hustad, & Borsari, 2014). Thus, in light of the novelty and excitement inherent in the first few weeks of college, students high in sensation seeking may be especially vulnerable for DG participation.…”

“…For instance, one study found that incoming college students were more likely to endorse drinking while playing DGs in the context of a small gathering of friends compared to less controlled contexts involving heckling (i.e., where players being made fun of, perhaps as a result of performing poorly; Anderson, Duncan, Buras, Packard, & Kennedy, 2013). In addition, Moser et al (2014) recently examined the cultural adjustment that takes place when students transition into college; those who internalized the college drinking culture (e.g., “college is a time for experimentation with alcohol”) had higher BAC estimates during DG participation.…”