Legal-age students' provision of alcohol to underage college students: an exploratory study.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated the magnitude and cultural context of legal-age university students' provision of alcohol to underage students and how such alcohol provision might be deterred.


METHODS
130 legal-age students at a midwestern university in the United States were randomly selected.


METHODS
The authors assessed 16 focus groups and a thematic analysis.


RESULTS
Most participants reported frequent alcohol provision. Most denied moral responsibility for any negative consequences that recipients might suffer. Small numbers of participants, chiefly women, would decrease alcohol provision after education on the sexual risks to underage females. Larger numbers would decrease provision in response to consistent law enforcement, severe legal and disciplinary penalties, and education on severe penalties.


CONCLUSIONS
Legal-age students' provision of alcohol to underage students is an integral part of college students' drinking culture. As a deterrent, an enforcement-based campaign may be more effective than an educational campaign on the possible negative consequences of alcohol for underage students.
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53719, USA. drrichbrown@gmail.com
Richard L
RL
Brown
Therese A
TA
Matousek
Mary B
MB
Radue
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities