Approximately one third of college students report heavy episodic drinking (HED; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2019), defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on a single occasion. This mixed-methods study examined the feasibility of a mindfulness intervention intended to reduce HED.…

This chapter defines problem drinking; highlights substance abuse issues; and outlines the challenges of substance tolerant campus culture for students and institutions.

Literature on stereotypes and implications of stereotype threat has grown considerably over the past decade. While numerous studies examine college major biases, they predominantly focus on STEM and business students. For Music Majors (MMs), some of the conventional musician stereotypes include susceptibility to heavy drinking, drug use, and their…

Objective: This study aims to: (1) examine gender differences for weight conscious drinking among college students accounting for the broader phenomenon (e.g. including the Alcohol Effects dimension); and (2) longitudinally examine the effect of weight conscious drinking behaviors on body mass index (BMI). Participants: United States freshmen…

Objective: Athletic involvement is linked to increased risk for heavy alcohol use among college students. We examined whether student-athletes from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds differ with respect to heavy drinking and related consequences. Method: Participants were 15,135 student-athlete drinkers (50.7% female) from 170 NCAA member…

Hazardous/harmful drinking among college students is increasingly becoming a global health concern. Previous studies have mostly paid more attention to the prevalence and risk factors of alcohol use disorder based on the public health approach, and less is understood about psychological mechanisms and protective factors of problem drinking…

Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are commonly conceptualized with a three-factor model, as used in the Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale--20 (PBSS-20). However, inconsistencies exist between factors and drinking outcomes. The current study used factor analysis to test a two-factor structure directly via controlled consumption…

Objective: To examine the association between vaping and health behaviors (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, sleep, cigarette use, alcohol consumption) and mental health among college students. Methods: Socio-demographic characteristics, vaping, health behaviors, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms of undergraduates…

Help-seeking is uncommon among college students with substance use concerns. Perceived access to services is associated with greater help-seeking behavior. This study identifies substance use-related risk factors associated with awareness of campus counseling services. College students aged 18 to 25 (N = 995) self-administered a web-based survey,…

Concerns about alcohol use at college events have been documented for students, administrators, faculty, and the community across the history of higher education in America. Concerns range from the scrapes and bruises related to events that encourage or allow student inebriation, to student alcohol poisoning. Yet, a host of campuses have developed…

Objective: This study assessed whether college women who bring their own alcohol to parties (BYOB) are less vulnerable to sexual victimization (SV). Participants: Participants were 652 female freshmen (M age = 18.04 years) at a large, public university. Methods: Women were recruited by email to complete online surveys of their drinking-related…

Rape culture has roots in our gendered history of the United States which manifests itself on college campuses as well. Attending college has been found to be the riskiest time for women in terms of sexual assault, as up to 1 in 4 women may experience some type of sexual assault or attempt during their collegiate years. This study explored how one…

Objective: This study was designed to assess the relationship between mental health service utilization and heavy episodic drinking (HED) after controlling for demographic and student-level variables. Participants: A national sample of college undergraduate respondents to the 2017--2018 Healthy Minds Study survey (n = 67,427). Methods:…

Objective: This qualitative phenomenological study explored alcohol habits, behaviors, and motivations of Gen Z students (born 1996-2010). Participants: Thirteen participants met selection criteria: aged 18-24 years (thus, part of Gen Z), enrolled as at either the University or community college, and able to share experiences. Maximum variation…

Objective: To evaluate the association between health behaviors with academic performance among tertiary education students. Methods: Six databases were searched until July 2020 for prospective cohort studies evaluating the association between health behavior(s) (dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, alcohol intake, sleep, smoking…