title: One-time or repeat offenders? An examination of the patterns of alcohol-related consequences experienced by college students across the freshman year.
abstract: Recent studies have examined alcohol-related consequences in college students as an independent outcome variable, rather than as a result of heavy drinking. The present study examined the patterns of consequences experienced by first-year college students (n=169). Specifically, the number of distinct consequences and the frequency of repeated consequences were evaluated as well as the combination of the two. Results revealed that 80% of participants reported experiencing multiple consequences, with over 34% of students reporting 6 or more unique consequences over the course of their freshmen year. In addition, nearly 50% of the sample reported experiencing 3 or more consequences repeatedly. Further, 23% of the sample reported experiencing 5 or more repeated consequences and 6 or more multiple consequences. These individuals experienced 38% of the multiple consequences and 54% of the repeated consequences reported by the entire sample, suggesting individuals who endorsed experiencing multiple consequences repeatedly also experienced a disproportionate number of the total consequences reported by the sample. The findings suggest there are specific high-risk patterns of alcohol-related consequences and demonstrate a need for further examination of additional variables that predict consequences.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 204 Calder Way, State College, PA 16801, USA. kam54@psu.edu
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mallett
authors.forename: Miesha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzell
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varvil-Weld
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turrisi
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guttman
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abar
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult