Perception of High Alcohol Use of Peers Is Associated With High Personal Alcohol Use in First-Year University Students in Three Central and Eastern European Countries

Abstract

Abstract:Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess discrepancies between estimated peer and personal drinking behavior and to determine associations between perceptions of 2 peer and personal drinking behavior among university students from Hungary (HU), Lithuania (LT), and the Slovak Republic (SK).Methods: 2,554 freshman university students completed an online questionnaire on the frequency of their personal alcohol use, the number of heavy drinking occasions and on their perception concerning the corresponding drinking behavior of a typical student.Associations between perceived peer and personal use were analysed by means of logistic regression, adjusting for sex.Results: The majority of students across all countries thought their peers drink more frequently and are more often involved in heavy drinking occasions than themselves.Students who perceived the frequency of peer alcohol use to be higher were more likely to drink alcohol twice a week or more often (SR: OR=3.81, 95% CI=2.51-5.79; LT: OR=3.16, 95% CI=2.11-4.75; HU: OR=2.10, 95% CI=1.53-2.87) compared with students who drink alcohol monthly or less. Those who perceived the number of peer heavy drinking occasions as high were more likely to report heavy drinking weekly or more often (SR: OR=3.16, 95% CI=1.925.20; LT:OR=3.56, 95% CI=2.14-5.94; HU:OR=1.41, 95% CI=0.79-2.51) compared with students who report heavy drinking less than monthly.Conclusions/Importance: University students perceived peer alcohol use to be higher than their personal use. Given the association between perceptions and personal alcohol use, future research should investigate if targeting perceptions in the surveyed countries may have an impact on alcohol use.

Longitudinal Effect of the Punav Prevention Program on Normative Beliefs and Alcohol Use Among University Students.

“…The results of this study indicate that norms correction may have a significant impact on alcohol use among young students. Our results are in line with previous studies (Brutovska, Orosova, Kalina, & Sebena, 2015;Helmer et al, 2016) which supports the protective effects of alcohol norms correction on actual alcohol use. The research findings can also be used by the developing the prevention and intervention programs.…”

Problematic and risky sexual behaviour under the influence of alcohol among university students

“…Women made up 80%, and men 20% of the sample. This number is similar to other research (13,29,31). Moreover, the number of women studying at these faculties exceeds the number of male students according to the Czech and Slovak ministerial statistics (32,33).…”

“…In the framework of the survey, the faculties were chosen due to their size, similarity of the study programmes, and availability for the survey. Finally, the collaborating universities were selected through personal contacts of researchers involved in the study -a similar procedure used in other studies (29). All participating universities are situated in structurally disadvantaged regions (according to national criteria), and the emergence of social problems is higher there in comparison with other regions in both countries (30).…”

“Tell Me How Much Your Friends Consume”—Personal, Behavioral, Social, and Attitudinal Factors Associated with Alcohol and Cannabis Use among European School Students

“…Perceived use of friends (i.e., descriptive norms) was found to be the most important factor that was associated with personal risky alcohol and cannabis use in our sample. Several studies on substance use in European university or college students arrived at comparable results, showing that perceived peer substance use exerts high behavioral influence on emerging adults [28][29][30]. However, less research has been conducted on secondary school students in Europe.…”