title: College students' self-reported reasons for playing drinking games.
abstract: Two samples of college students who engage in drinking games completed questions about their drinking behavior, a set of items concerning their reasons for playing drinking games, and various self-report measures of personality. Principal components analysis using the first sample yielded four factors: Relaxation & Disinhibition, Fun & Celebration, Conformity, and Sexual Manipulation. A similar factor structure was also obtained in the second sample. In both samples, Fun & Celebration and Sexual Manipulation reasons were most strongly predictive of frequency of play and quantity of alcohol consumed while playing. In men, Sexual Manipulation reasons for play predicted frequency of taking sexual advantage of others during play. Endorsement of Conformity and Relaxation & Disinhibition reasons were associated with high social anxiety and low assertiveness. Reasons for play predicted consumption, both in drinking-game situations and overall, even after removing variance due to general reasons for drinking. Psychometric properties of the current measure are less than ideal, but the constructs identified appear to have important implications for prevention. Assessment of self-reported reasons for drinking in specific situations may be a generally useful strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute 47809, USA. pytjohn@root.indstate.edu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Sheets
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012919:Social Behavior; D012925:Social Conformity; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology