Heavy drinking contexts and indices of problem drinking among college students.

Abstract

Heavy drinking among college students carries with it the risk of adverse consequences. This study explored the relationship between alcohol-related problems and the social-emotional contexts of drinking in college students. Undergraduate volunteers (N = 139; 61% female; 27% minority) completed an assessment of drinking patterns, the short form of the Inventory of Drinking Situations (IDS-42) and an alcohol problems index. Heavy drinkers drank more, relative to light/moderate drinkers, in five of the eight situations assessed by the IDS-42. Several IDS-42 subscales correlated highly with the number of alcohol-related problems. Subjects identified by their extreme scores on the IDS-42 reported more alcohol problems, greater maximum quantities consumed and more frequent intoxication. The IDS-42 can identify the contexts in which heavy drinking occurs and individuals who are likely to experience alcohol problems.