Trends and predictors of alcohol use among undergraduate female students

The purpose of this study was to examine drinking patterns of female college students and specifically, evaluate the contributions of age, sorority membership, emotional pain, and peer acceptance on both frequency and quantity, of alcohol consumption using a stratified random sample of females undergraduate students at a large midwestern university. Participants were 248 women ranging in age from 18-23. Freshmen accounted for 29% of the sample, 24% sophomores, 26% juniors, 18% seniors, and 3% fifth year students. Multiple regression analyses indicated that sorority membership and emotional pain were significant predictors of frequency of alcohol consumption; and age, sorority membership, and emotional pain were significant predictors of quantity of alcohol consumption