Distinct Classes of Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences in a National Sample of Incoming First-Year College Students: A Latent Class Analysis.
: First-year college students are at particular risk for experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences that may set the stage for experiencing such consequences in later life. Latent class analysis is a person-centered approach that, based on observable indicator variables, divides a population into mutually exclusive and exhaustive groups ('classes'). To date, no studies have examined the latent class structure of negative alcohol-related consequences experienced by first-year college students just before entering college.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to (a) identify classes of first-year college students based on the patterns of negative alcohol-related consequences they experienced just before entering college, and (b) determine whether specific covariates were associated with class membership.


METHODS
Incoming freshmen from 148 colleges and universities (N = 54,435) completed a baseline questionnaire as part of an alcohol education program they completed just prior to their first year of college. Participants answered questions regarding demographics and other personal characteristics, their alcohol use in the past 2 weeks, and the negative alcohol-related consequences they had experienced during that time.


RESULTS
Four distinct classes of students emerged: (a) No Problems, (b) Academic Problems, (c) Injured Self and (d) Severe Problems. Average number of drinks per drinking day, total number of drinking days, age of drinking initiation, intention to join a fraternity or sorority and family history of alcohol problems were associated with membership in all of the problem classes relative to the No Problems class.


CONCLUSIONS
These results can inform future campus-based prevention efforts.
Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 126 Heyne Building, Suite 220A, Houston, TX 77204, USA dvrinker@uh.edu.
Dipali Venkataraman
DV
Rinker
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas at Houston, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2614, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Pamela M
PM
Diamond
Department of Behavioral and Community Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie, EAD 711, Ft. Worth, TX 76107, USA.
Scott T
ST
Walters
EverFi, Inc., 3299 K Street N.W., 4th Floor Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Todd M
TM
Wyatt
EverFi, Inc., 3299 K Street N.W., 4th Floor Washington, DC 20007, USA Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
William
W
DeJong
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000067292:Alcohol Drinking in College / Q000523:psychology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult