What really matters in binge drinking: A dominance analysis of binge drinking psychological determinants among University students

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100346Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • A dominance analysis of psychological variables associated to BD is proposed.

  • Positional, inter-individual and intra-individual factors were investigated.

  • The variables most associated to BD were enhancement motives and drinking identity.

  • The second order variables associated with BD were subjective norm and social motives.

  • Prevention actions may benefit of specifically targeting inter-individual variables.

Abstract

Introduction

Binge drinking (BD) is a public health concern, especially in young people. Multiple individual factors referring to different level of analyses - positional, inter-individual and intra-individual – are associated to BD. As they have mainly been explored separately, little is known about the psychological variables most associated with BD. This study, based on an integrative model considering a large number of variables, aims to estimate these associations and possible dominance of some variables in BD.

Methods

A sample of university students (N = 2851) participated in an internet survey-based study. They provided information on alcohol related variables (AUDIT, BD score), positional factors (sex, age), inter-individual factors (subjective norm, social identity, external motivations), and intra-individual factors (internal motivations, meta-cognitions, impulsivity and personality traits). The data were processed via a backward regression analysis including all variables and completed with a dominance analysis on variables that are significantly associated with BD intensity.

Results

The strongest variables associated with BD intensity were enhancement motives and drinking identity (average ΔR2 = 21.81%), followed by alcohol subjective norm and social motives (average ΔR2 = 13.99%). Other associated variables (average ΔR2 = 2,84%) were negative metacognition on uncontrollability, sex, coping motives, lack of premeditation, positive metacognition on cognitive self-regulation, positive urgency, lack of perseverance, age, conformity motives and loneliness.

Conclusion

Results offer new avenues at the empirical level, by spotting particularly inter-individual psychological variables that should be more thoroughly explored, but also at the clinical level, to elaborate new prevention strategies focusing on these specific factors.

Keywords

Binge drinking
University students
Identity
Enhancement motives
Subjective norm
Social motives

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