title: Alcohol-related infractions among college students: associations with subsequent drinking as a function of sensitivity to punishment.
abstract: Problematic alcohol use on college campuses is a significant concern. Violations of campus alcohol policies can lead to disciplinary action from the university. These and other alcohol-related legal infractions may be a sign of significant alcohol-related problems. However, few studies have focused on determining predictors of alcohol-related infractions among college students. Likewise, the role of infractions in reducing future use is unclear. In the present study, we tested whether alcohol-related infractions were associated with decreased alcohol use, and whether the effect of the infraction varied as a function of initial drinking levels, sensitivity to punishment (SP), and sensitivity to reward (SR) in a 6-month prospective design. Alcohol use, grade point average, and SR were significantly associated with receiving an alcohol-related infraction. For heavier drinkers, receiving an infraction was associated with decreased drinking at follow-up, and this decrease was most pronounced among those with higher sensitivity to punishment. SP appeared to increase responsiveness to the infraction, resulting in greater attenuation of drinking at follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark Street, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. tyler.wray@usd.edu
authors.forename: Tyler B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Wray
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Dvorak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057766:Policy; D011678:Punishment / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities