Effects of college climate on students' binge drinking: hierarchical generalized linear model.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have investigated the effect of college-level contextual factors on students' binge drinking. Most previous studies focused on the effect of individuals' characteristics on their binge drinking.


OBJECTIVE
This study tested the effect of college-level contextual factors on students' binge drinking.


METHODS
The 2006 National College Health Assessment data collected from 76,542 students in 113 U.S. 4-year colleges were analyzed using the Hox five-step hierarchical random effects logistic regression models.


RESULTS
College-level variables, such as percentages of male students, marijuana users, Black students, and students with Greek affiliation, significantly predicted students' binge drinking above and beyond student-level predictors. An intraclass correlation was 0.10 in the null model, indicating that 10% of students' binge drinking could be explained by differences among colleges. Significant cross-level interactions were found between college-level variables and student-level variables.


CONCLUSIONS
In order to reduce binge drinking in college, the findings underscore the need for active intervention within the college climate that addresses drinking.
Seo
Dong-Chul
DC
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA. seo@indiana.edu
Li
Kaigang
K
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
D000431:Ethanol