TITLE:
“Excessive Drinking—An Inescapable Part of University Life?” A Focus Group Study of Australian Undergraduates
AUTHORS:
Jonathan Hallett, Alexandra McManus, Bruce R. Maycock, Jennifer Smith, Peter M. Howat
KEYWORDS:
Alcohol, Student, Undergraduate, Qualitative, Drinking, Binge
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Preventive Medicine,
Vol.4 No.7,
July
31,
2014
ABSTRACT: The university
environment reinforces positive alcohol-related expectations and motivations
for drinking among undergraduate students. High levels of hazardous consumption
in this population lead to significant negative alcohol-related consequences,
for individuals and those around them. This study sought to explore the
contexts in which those who engage in hazardous drinking consume alcohol, their
perceptions of safety and harm, and receptivity to health messages. Undergraduate
university students (n = 69; aged 17 - 24 of both genders [57% female]) were
purposively recruited into one of seven focus groups after screening with the
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to select for hazardous
drinking (score, >8) or moderate drinking. A focus group interview schedule
was developed, which was informed by theory and tested for validity by a panel
of experts. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed four thematic clusters:
positive expectations; inescapable culture; defining situations; and
permissible drunkenness. Drinking was associated with various personal and
social advantages that reinforced participants’ intentions and/or willingness
to drink. Alcohol played a meaningful role in the way in which participants
identified with youth and university culture. Economical drinking was
prominent, with students constantly negotiating pathways to intoxication
within the confines of their budgets. Heavy drinking was viewed as permissible
when in the home environment and/or in the company of trusted friends. Most
students were unreceptive to health messages, and advice on restricting alcohol
consumption seemed to have limited impact on drinking behaviour. Our findings
clarify why some university students maintain or increase drinking behaviour
despite known negative outcomes and offer useful insights to inform further
research and the development of alcohol interventions specifically targeted
at students.