WARMING UP AND STAYING LOOSE: THE PREVALENCE, STYLE, AND INFLUENCE OF PREPARTYING BEHAVIOR AND DRINKING GAMES AMONG INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETES.

This study investigates the prevalence and influence of prepartying behavior along with the co-occurrence of drinking game participation among a sample of Division 1 student-athletes (N = 568) from two institutions. Results indicate that 67% (n =382) of the sample had prepartied in the past month, with 36% (n = 205) of the overall sample also having typically played drinking games in that context. Individuals that typically played drinking games while prepartying reported higher risk on the main outcome variables of overall past month alcohol consumption, prepartying-specific drinking behavior, and negative alcohol-related consequences than the prepartying-only group, which in turn evidenced higher consumption and risk when compared to the non-prepartying group. Moreover, males, as compared to females, demonstrated elevated scores on all outcome variables. Implications include the potential to help inform both prevention and intervention efforts among student-athletes.