College students' early cessation from episodic heavy drinking: prevalence and correlates.

Full Abstract

The author surveyed 788 undergraduates at a large public university (overall response rate 54%) to (1) estimate the proportion of college students who cease engaging in a pattern of episodic heavy drinking (EHD) and (2) identify individual and contextual factors associated with early cessation. He used a staging algorithm to classify respondents into 4 stages of EHD cessation. Of the 60% who had engaged in EHD, 64% continued to drink heavily with no intention of stopping, 12% continued to drink heavily but were thinking about stopping, 14% had ceased temporarily, and 9% had ceased permanently. Students who had stopped EHD perceived more risks and fewer benefits associated with alcohol misuse, but they did not differ in their perceptions of normative alcohol use on campus. Many collegiate heavy drinkers cease EHD before graduation, and others may be predisposed to moderate their alcohol use. Tailored interventions that alter alcohol expectancies may facilitate early cessation from EHD.

Author information

Author/s: Steinman, Kenneth J (KJ);

Affiliation: Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, The Ohio State University School of Public Health, Columbus 43210-1240, USA. steinman.13(-atsign-)osu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of American college health : J of ACH (J Am Coll Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 51 (issue 5) : pp 197-204

Dates: Created 2003/06/25; Completed 2003/07/18; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12822711, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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