title: How Mandated College Students Talk About Alcohol: Peer Communication Factors Associated with Drinking.
abstract: Relatively little research has examined how peer communication influences alcohol consumption. In a sample of mandated college students, we differentiate conversations about drinking from conversations about harm prevention and provide evidence for the validity of these communication constructs. Students who violated campus alcohol policies and were referred for alcohol sanctions (N = 345) reported on drinking patterns, use of protective behavioral strategies, perceived descriptive norms for close friends, and serving as social leader among their friends; they also reported on the frequency of conversations about drinking, about drinking safety, and about risk reduction efforts. Predicted correlations were found among types of communication and conceptually related variables. General communication was related to consumption but not protective behavioral strategies, whereas safety/risk reduction conversations correlated positively with all protective behavioral strategies. Both types of communication were associated with social leadership. Safety communication moderated the relationship between peer descriptive norms and drinks per week; more frequent talking about safety attenuated the norms-consumption relationship. Peer communication about both drinking and safety may serve as targets for change in risk reduction interventions for mandated college students.
authors: a Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies , Brown University School of Public Health.|b Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences , Brown University School of Public Health.
authors: Kate B
authors: KB
authors: Carey
authors: a Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies , Brown University School of Public Health.|c Center for Health Intervention and Prevention , University of Connecticut.
authors: Sarah A
authors: SA
authors: Lust
authors: b Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences , Brown University School of Public Health.|d Department of Psychology , Colby College.
authors: Allecia E
authors: AE
authors: Reid
authors: c Center for Health Intervention and Prevention , University of Connecticut.|e Department of Psychology , University of Connecticut.
authors: Seth C
authors: SC
authors: Kalichman
authors: b Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences , Brown University School of Public Health.|f Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , Alpert Medical School.|g Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine , The Miriam Hospital.
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Carey
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010379:Peer Group; D012925:Social Conformity; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult