Problem drinking among college students: a review of recent research.

Abstract Research examining collegiate problem drinking from 1975–1985 is reviewed. Eight topics are distinguished pertaining to the definition and correlates of problem drinking: consumption patterns; self-identification as a problem drinker; motivations; negative consequences; personality characteristics; family, peers, and environment; long-term consequences of problem alcohol use; and male-female differences in problem drinking. Reported prevalences of problem drinking range from a low of 6% to a high of 72%, with most studies suggesting that approximately 20–25% of students have drinking problems. This variability may be explained in large part by divergent conceptual and operational definitions of problem drinkers across studies. Problem drinkers are characterized relative to nonproblem drinkers as impulsive, prone to deviant behavior, less oriented towards academic success, more independence-seeking, and more likely to drink for escapist (rather than sociability) reasons. The influential role of co...