Reasons for Drinking in the College Student Context: The Differential Role and Risk of the Social Motivator * (Report‪)‬

EXCESSIVE DRINKING IN THE COLLEGE context is associated with damaged property, poor class attendance, hangovers, trouble with authorities, injuries, and fatalities (Hingson et al., 2005; Wechsler et al., 1994, 2000; Wechsler and Isaac, 1992). Additionally, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (Task Force of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2002) has called for targeted interventions with college students to reduce risky levels of consumption. Before designing interventions with students, it is important to identify the reasons behind these heavy levels of consumption. Although peer influence, alcohol accessibility, and pressure to be accepted all affect students' alcohol use (Hanson, 1974), early research with reasons for drinking, or drinking motives, found two main reasons why college students drink: social purposes and emotional escape or relief (Brennan et al., 1986). However, research has been inconsistent regarding the most salient reasons for student drinking and their consequential effects on drinking outcomes. Cooper and colleagues (1992) developed a measure for drinking motives that identified three factors: mood enhancement, tension reduction (or coping), and social motives. They posited that each motive is associated with unique characteristics of drinking behavior and related outcomes. Enhancement and coping motives were predictive of excessive consumption levels and alcohol-related consequences, whereas social reasons failed to predict excessive drinking levels or alcohol problems (Cooper, 1994; Cooper et al., 1992). Cronin (1997) developed the Reasons for Drinking Scale that included three subscales: social camaraderie, mood enhancement, and tension reduction. In a college student sample, social camaraderie motives predicted drinking rates but, as in the Cooper studies, did not predict alcohol-related problems (Cronin, 1997).