College spring break and alcohol use: effects of spring break activity.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the relationship between spring break vacation and changes in alcohol consumption among college students. Analyses also examined the effects of spring break activity (vacationing with friends, visiting parents, staying in college town, etc.) and selection (i.e., whether heavy drinkers are more likely to vacation with friends) on the spring break/alcohol consumption relationship.


METHODS
Participants were 3,720 students (46% male; 90% white; mean age = 17.96) at a large midwestern university. Students were contacted during the fall and spring of their freshman, sophomore, and junior years and were asked to complete online surveys assessing (1) their typical alcohol use, (2) their alcohol use during spring break week, and (3) the activities they engaged in during spring break week.


RESULTS
Students who vacationed with friends during spring break dramatically increased their alcohol use. In contrast, students who stayed home or vacationed with parents during spring break were at low risk for excessive alcohol use.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings highlight the need for targeted drinking interventions geared specifically toward students taking trips with friends. Findings also highlight the need for further research into both person and environmental variables that predict increases in drinking during spring break.
Grekin
Emily R
ER
Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Avenue, 7th Floor, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA. grekine@wayne.edu
Sher
Kenneth J
KJ
Krull
Jennifer L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006306:Health Surveys; D006693:Holidays / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008923:Missouri; D010290:Parents; D012621:Seasons; D012931:Social Environment; D012932:Social Facilitation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*