Do college drinkers learn from their mistakes? Effects of recent alcohol-related consequences on planned protective drinking strategies among college freshmen.

This study examined whether recent alcohol-related consequences affect intentions to use protective drinking strategies. Responses were collected from incoming college freshmen (N = 84,367) at 279 U.S. colleges and universities. Plans to limit future drinking were significantly lower among students who were male, younger, White, or were in or intending to join a fraternity or sorority. For heavy drinkers, having recently experienced a higher level of external harms predicted increased plans to limit drinking. For all drinkers, a lower level of recent impaired driving predicted increased plans to limit drinking. Limitations and implications are discussed.