HEAVY DRINKING CONTEXTS AND INDEXES OF PROBLEM DRINKING AMONG COLLEGE-STUDENTS

Objective: Heavy drinking among college students carries with it the risk of adverse consequences. This study explored the relationship between alcohol-related problems and the social-emotional contexts of drinking in college students. Method: Undergraduate volunteers (N = 139; 61% female; 27% minority) completed an assessment of drinking patterns, the short form of the Inventory of Drinking Situations (IDS-42) and an alcohol problems index. Results: Heavy drinkers drank more, relative to light/moderate drinkers, in five of the eight situations assessed by the IDS-42. Several IDS-42 subscales correlated highly with the number of alcohol-related problems. Subjects identified by their extreme scores on the IDS-42 reported more alcohol problems, greater maximum quantities consumed and more frequent intoxication. Conclusions: The IDS-42 can identify the contexts in which heavy drinking occurs and individuals who are likely to experience alcohol problems.