Joseph W LaBrie1, Eric R Pedersen, Summer Tawalbeh. 1. Loyola Marymount University, Department of Psychology, 1 LMU Drive, Suite 4700, Los Angeles, California 90045, USA. jlabrie@lmu.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the effectiveness of the 2-week period currently used in the categorization of heavy episodic drinking among college students. Two-week drinker-type labels included the following: nonbinge drinker, binge drinker, and frequent binge drinker. METHOD: Three samples of college student drinkers (104 volunteers, 283 adjudicated students, and 238 freshmen male students) completed the 3-month Timeline Followback assessment of drinking. Drinking behavior during the last 2 weeks of the month before the study was compared with drinking behavior during the first 2 weeks of the same month to compare behavior and resulting labels during both 2- week periods. RESULTS: Inconsistencies existed in drinker-type labels during the first 2 weeks of the month and the last 2 weeks of the month for all three samples. Between 40% and 50% of participants in the three samples were classified as a different drinker type across the month. Nonbinge drinkers experienced a wide range of alcohol-related problems, and much variation existed among the frequent-binge-drinker label. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the current definition needs to be modified to accurately identify risky-drinking college students. Expanding the assessment window past 2 weeks of behavior, as well as developing different classification schemes, might categorize risky drinkers more accurately.
OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the effectiveness of the 2-week period currently used in the categorization of heavy episodic drinking among college students. Two-week drinker-type labels included the following: nonbinge drinker, binge drinker, and frequent binge drinker. METHOD: Three samples of college student drinkers (104 volunteers, 283 adjudicated students, and 238 freshmen male students) completed the 3-month Timeline Followback assessment of drinking. Drinking behavior during the last 2 weeks of the month before the study was compared with drinking behavior during the first 2 weeks of the same month to compare behavior and resulting labels during both 2- week periods. RESULTS: Inconsistencies existed in drinker-type labels during the first 2 weeks of the month and the last 2 weeks of the month for all three samples. Between 40% and 50% of participants in the three samples were classified as a different drinker type across the month. Nonbinge drinkers experienced a wide range of alcohol-related problems, and much variation existed among the frequent-binge-drinker label. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the current definition needs to be modified to accurately identify risky-drinking college students. Expanding the assessment window past 2 weeks of behavior, as well as developing different classification schemes, might categorize risky drinkers more accurately.
Authors: Kristin S Vickers; Christi A Patten; Carrie Bronars; Kristi Lane; Susanna R Stevens; Ivana T Croghan; Darrell R Schroeder; Matthew M Clark Journal: J Am Coll Health Date: 2004 Nov-Dec