Extract
Normative beliefs, expectancies, and alcohol-related problems among college students: implications for theory and practice.
Abstract
This investigation (1) examined the interrelations among normative beliefs, alcohol expectancies, and alcohol-related problems and (2) investigated whether alcohol-related expectancies mediate associations between normative beliefs and alcohol-related problems. Participants were 65 undergraduate college students who were participating in the evaluation of an alcohol education curriculum (Wyrick & Fearnow-Kenney 2002). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided support for one of the central tenets of social learning theory: that alcohol expectancies mediate the relationship between normative beliefs (the prevalence and acceptance of alcohol use) and alcohol-related socio-emotional and community problems. When differences in the operational definition of normative beliefs are considered, findings are consistent with previous research of the mediational role of alcohol expectancies. Implications for theory and alcohol education are discussed. Introduction Alcohol, abuse, heavy episodic drinking in particular, is the number one substance use problem among college and universities in the United States (Presley, Leichliter, & Meilman, 1998; Syre, Martino-McAllister, & Vanada, 1997). Heavy episodic drinking (or high-risk alcohol use) is most commonly defined as the consumption of five or more drinks in one sitting (four or more for women). Survey results indicate that just under half of all college students report engaging in high-risk drinking at least once during the previous two weeks (Presley, et al., 1998) and appr...See the full content of this document
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