Drinking patterns, problems, and motivations among collegiate bisexual women.
OBJECTIVE
The authors compared the drinking behaviors, motivations, and problems of collegiate bisexual women with those of heterosexual women (N = 2,788; n = 86 bisexual women).


METHODS
Data came from the 2003 Student Life Survey, a random population-based survey at a large midwestern university. The authors explored the hypothesis that bisexual women would be more likely than heterosexual women to report drinking motivations related to stress and coping as a result of sexual identity stigma.


RESULTS
They found that bisexual women drank significantly less than did heterosexual women. There were few differences between the 2 groups in drinking motivations and problems. Bisexual women reported a comparable number of problems related to their drinking but were significantly more likely to report contemplating suicide after drinking than were heterosexual women.


CONCLUSIONS
More research is needed to understand the finding that despite lower levels of alcohol consumption, bisexual women reported a comparable number of drinking problems. College health educators and health care providers need to be aware of findings related to heightened suicidal risk among bisexual women.
Bostwick
Wendy B
WB
Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL 60601, USA. wbostwick@adler.edu
McCabe
Sean Esteban
SE
Horn
Stacey
S
Hughes
Tonda
T
Johnson
Timothy
T
Valles
Jesus Ramirez
JR
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities