Classifying risky-drinking college students: another look at the two-week drinker-type categorization.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the effectiveness of the 2-week period currently used in the categorization of heavy episodic drinking among college students. Two-week drinker-type labels included the following: nonbinge drinker, binge drinker, and frequent binge drinker.


METHODS
Three samples of college student drinkers (104 volunteers, 283 adjudicated students, and 238 freshmen male students) completed the 3-month Timeline Followback assessment of drinking. Drinking behavior during the last 2 weeks of the month before the study was compared with drinking behavior during the first 2 weeks of the same month to compare behavior and resulting labels during both 2- week periods.


RESULTS
Inconsistencies existed in drinker-type labels during the first 2 weeks of the month and the last 2 weeks of the month for all three samples. Between 40% and 50% of participants in the three samples were classified as a different drinker type across the month. Nonbinge drinkers experienced a wide range of alcohol-related problems, and much variation existed among the frequent-binge-drinker label.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the current definition needs to be modified to accurately identify risky-drinking college students. Expanding the assessment window past 2 weeks of behavior, as well as developing different classification schemes, might categorize risky drinkers more accurately.
LaBrie
Joseph W
JW
Loyola Marymount University, Department of Psychology, 1 LMU Drive, Suite 4700, Los Angeles, California 90045, USA. jlabrie@lmu.edu
Pedersen
Eric R
ER
Tawalbeh
Summer
S
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010507:Periodicity; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors