Not Just Fun and Games: A Review of College Drinking Games Research From 2004 to 2013

Drinking games are a high-risk social drinking activity consisting of rules and guidelines that determine when and how much to drink (Polizzotto et al., 2007). Borsari\u27s (2004) seminal review paper on drinking games in the college environment succinctly captured the published literature as of February 2004. However, research on college drinking games has grown exponentially during the last decade, necessitating an updated review of the literature. This review provides an in-depth summary and synthesis of current drinking games research (e.g., characteristics of drinking games, and behavioral, demographic, social, and psychological influences on participation) and suggests several promising areas for future drinking games research. This review is intended to foster a better understanding of drinking game behaviors among college students and improve efforts to reduce the negative impact of this practice on college campuses

Athletes and alcohol : social influences on hazardous alcohol use and the mediating role of alcohol expectancies

Research has shown that college student-athletes are at increased risk for hazardous alcohol use. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine social and cognitive influences on athletes\u27 alcohol consumption. This investigation utilized the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1973,1980; Kuther, 2002) to explore the association between between injunctive norms and hazardous alcohol use among college athletes, and to test whether alcohol expectancy outcomes and valuations would mediate this association. College-aged student-athletes (N=313; mean age=19.4) from eight different colleges across the U.S. completed a 40-minute self-report questionnaire asking about demographic information, drinking behaviors, and perceptions of alcohol use in the social environment. Path analyses using multiple regression techniques revealed a direct association between each of the social influence variables and hazardous alcohol use. In addition, negative expectancy valuations emerged as a significant mediator of the association between injunctive norms (teammate approval) and hazardous alcohol use. Implications for alcohol intervention programming among college-student athletes are discussed

Measuring Identity From an Eriksonian Perspective: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

In this article, we report the results of 3 studies evaluating the psychometric properties of scores generated using the Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (EPSI; Rosenthal, Gurney, & Moore, 1981 ) with emerging adults. In Study 1, a hybrid bifactor solution, consisting of an overall identity factor as well as of "method effects" factors for identity synthesis and identity confusion, provided a better fit to the data than did either one or two-factor solutions. This bifactor solution was largely invariant across gender and across Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. In Study 2, the overall identity, identity synthesis, and identity confusion scores were shown to possess convergent validity with another Eriksonian measure and with measures of identity status. In Study 3, the EPSI subscale scores were shown to possess construct validity vis-à-vis self-esteem, purpose in life, internal locus of control, ego strength, anxiety, and depression. We discuss implications for the measurement of identity

Participation in Drinking Games and Predrinking Among University Students in Argentina, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand

The limited existing research on drinking games and predrinking among university students in Argentina, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand suggests that participation in these risky drinking practices is relatively widespread among this population. Drinking norms and alcohol use can vary across countries and in different regions of the globe. The measurement of drinking games and predrinking participation between studies also differs, making cross-country comparisons difficult. The present study explored differences in past month participation in drinking games and predrinking among university students from a large public university in Argentina, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Methods: The data analytic sample consisted of 1,134 university students (ages 18-25, Mage=20.2 years; 72.6% women) from Argentina (n=349), Australia (n=280), Canada (n=262), and New Zealand (n=243) who reported weekly alcohol consumption. Students completed a confidential survey on drinking attitudes and behaviors. Results: Controlling for age, gender, and weekly drink consumption, there were no cross-country differences in past month participation in predrinking. In contrast, university students from Canada and New Zealand were more likely to have played a drinking game in the past month than students from Australia and Argentina. Conclusions: The present finding suggest that university students from Argentina, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are equally likely to participate in predrinking regardless of country; however, the likelihood of playing drinking games differs as a function of country site.Fil: Zamboanga, Byron L.. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: George, Amanda M.. University of Canberra; AustraliaFil: Van Hedger, Kathryne. Western University; CanadáFil: Olthuis, Janine V.. University Of New Brunswick.; CanadáFil: Pilatti, Angelina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; ArgentinaFil: Dresler, Emma. Massey University; Nueva Zeland

Do Alcohol Expectancy Outcomes and Valuations Mediate Peer Influences and Lifetime Alcohol Use Among Early Adolescents?

Building on the theory of reasoned action (I. Ajzen & M. Fishbein, 1973, 1980; M. Fishbein & I. Ajzen, 1975) and expectancy theory, the authors examined the mediating role of alcohol expectancies in adolescent drinking behaviors by testing whether alcohol expectancy outcomes and valuations (the extent to which these outcomes are perceived as good or bad) mediate the association between peer influences and lifetime alcohol use. Early adolescents (N = 904) from 2 public middle schools in western Michigan completed a battery of questionnaires. Overall, results showed that alcohol expectancies and valuations partially mediated the relations between peer influences (peer use and peer approval) and lifetime alcohol use. The findings suggest that associating with peers who are perceived as using alcohol and approving of drinking may influence adolescents' alcohol expectancies. The authors briefly discuss future research directions and implications for prevention

Validation of a Seven-Factor Structure for the Motives for Playing Drinking Games Measure

Playing drinking games can be characterized as a high-risk drinking activity because games are typically designed to promote heavy alcohol consumption. While research suggests that young adults are motivated to play drinking games for a variety of reasons (e.g., for thrills/fun, for the competition), the Motives for Playing Drinking Games measure has received limited empirical attention. We examined the psychometric properties of this measure with a confirmation sample of young adults recruited from Amazon’s MTurk (N = 1,809, ages 18-25 years, 47% men; 41% not currently enrolled in college) and a validation sample of college students (N = 671; ages 18-23 years; 26% men). Contrary to the 8-factor model obtained by Johnson and Sheets in a study published in 2004, examination of the factor structure with our confirmation sample yielded a revised 7-factor model that was invariant across race/ethnicity and college student status. This model was also validated with the college student sample. In the confirmation sample, enhancement/thrills and sexual pursuit motives for playing drinking games were positively associated with gaming frequency/consumption and negative gaming consequences. Furthermore, conformity motives for playing drinking games were positively associated with negative gaming consequences, while competition motives were positively associated with gaming frequency. These findings have significant implications for research and prevention/intervention efforts