Megan E Cooke1, Zoe E Neale1,2, Peter B Barr2, John Myers1,3, Danielle M Dick2,4,5, Kenneth S Kendler1,3, Alexis C Edwards1,3. 1. Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond, Virginia. 2. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia. 4. Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. 5. College Behavioral and Emotional Health Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The first year of university attendance represents a critical time frame for the development of alcohol use and misuse given changes in autonomy and increased access to alcohol. Prior studies have demonstrated that the establishment of drinking patterns during this period is impacted by an array of demographic, environmental, and familial factors. It is critical to consider such factors jointly, and to understand potentially differential effects on stages of alcohol use/misuse, in order to identify robust predictors that may be targeted in prevention and intervention programming. METHODS: As part of a longitudinal study, students at a large, public U.S. university were invited to complete online surveys that included questions related to alcohol use, emotional and behavioral health, environmental factors, sociodemographic factors, and familial environment. This study uses data from surveys administered in the fall and spring of the first year of university. We used univariate (maximum N = 7,291) and multivariate (maximum N = 4,788) logistic and linear regressions to evaluate the associations between potential risk and protective factors with 4 alcohol use outcomes: initiation, consumption, problems, and addiction resistance. RESULTS: In multivariate models, we observed associations between demographic, social/environmental, and personal-level predictors with all 4 alcohol outcomes, several of which were consistent across each stage of alcohol use. A deviant high school peer group was one of the strongest predictors of risk across outcomes. The influence of drinking motives and alcohol expectancies varied by alcohol use outcome. Externalizing characteristics were associated with increased risk across outcomes, while internalizing symptoms were associated with more problems and lower addiction resistance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the complex network of factors influencing stages of alcohol use during the first year of university. Importantly, these findings demonstrate that the impact of predictors changes across stages of alcohol use/misuse, which presents opportunities for targeted prevention efforts.
BACKGROUND: The first year of university attendance represents a critical time frame for the development of alcohol use and misuse given changes in autonomy and increased access to alcohol. Prior studies have demonstrated that the establishment of drinking patterns during this period is impacted by an array of demographic, environmental, and familial factors. It is critical to consider such factors jointly, and to understand potentially differential effects on stages of alcohol use/misuse, in order to identify robust predictors that may be targeted in prevention and intervention programming. METHODS: As part of a longitudinal study, students at a large, public U.S. university were invited to complete online surveys that included questions related to alcohol use, emotional and behavioral health, environmental factors, sociodemographic factors, and familial environment. This study uses data from surveys administered in the fall and spring of the first year of university. We used univariate (maximum N = 7,291) and multivariate (maximum N = 4,788) logistic and linear regressions to evaluate the associations between potential risk and protective factors with 4 alcohol use outcomes: initiation, consumption, problems, and addiction resistance. RESULTS: In multivariate models, we observed associations between demographic, social/environmental, and personal-level predictors with all 4 alcohol outcomes, several of which were consistent across each stage of alcohol use. A deviant high school peer group was one of the strongest predictors of risk across outcomes. The influence of drinking motives and alcohol expectancies varied by alcohol use outcome. Externalizing characteristics were associated with increased risk across outcomes, while internalizing symptoms were associated with more problems and lower addiction resistance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the complex network of factors influencing stages of alcohol use during the first year of university. Importantly, these findings demonstrate that the impact of predictors changes across stages of alcohol use/misuse, which presents opportunities for targeted prevention efforts.
Authors: Kenneth S Kendler; Xiao-Qing Liu; Charles O Gardner; Michael E McCullough; David Larson; Carol A Prescott Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2003-03 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Paul A Harris; Robert Taylor; Robert Thielke; Jonathon Payne; Nathaniel Gonzalez; Jose G Conde Journal: J Biomed Inform Date: 2008-09-30 Impact factor: 6.317
Authors: Kenneth S Kendler; Charles O Gardner; Matt Hickman; Jon Heron; John Macleod; Glyn Lewis; Danielle M Dick Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2014-07 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Jessica E Salvatore; Fazil Aliev; Alexis C Edwards; David M Evans; John Macleod; Matthew Hickman; Glyn Lewis; Kenneth S Kendler; Anu Loukola; Tellervo Korhonen; Antti Latvala; Richard J Rose; Jaakko Kaprio; Danielle M Dick Journal: Genes (Basel) Date: 2014-04-10 Impact factor: 4.096
Authors: Jordan R Hoffmeister; Andrew J Cohoon; Kristen H Sorocco; Ashley Acheson; William R Lovallo Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2019-09-11 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Joseph W LaBrie; Bradley M Trager; Reed M Morgan; Sarah C Boyle; J Eason Taylor; Robert Turrisi Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2022-01-20 Impact factor: 3.913