Cheryl A. Presley

Alcohol Use and Related Consequences Among Students With Varying Levels of Involvement in College Athletics

Alcohol use, binge drinking, and substance abuse-related consequences among students with varying levels of participation in intercollegiate athletics were examined. Between October 1994 and May 1996, 51,483 students at 125 institutions answered questions about their involvement in athletics, ranging from noninvolvement to participant to leadership positions, on the long form of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. In comparisons with nonathletes, both male and female athletes consumed significantly more alcohol per week, engaged in binge drinking more often, and suffered more adverse consequences from their substance use. No support was found for the hypothesis that athletic leaders were more responsible than other team participants in using alcohol. Male team leaders appeared to be at significantly greater risk than female team leaders; they also consumed more alcohol, binged more often, and suffered more consequences than other team members.

Development of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey: Initial Findings and Future Directions

To assist universities in obtaining accurate information about the effectiveness of their efforts to prevent substance abuse, a committee of grantees of the US Department of Educations Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) developed an assessment tool known as the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. This self-report instrument is designed to examine the nature, scope, and consequences of the use of alcohol and other drugs among college students. To date, the survey has been administered to nearly half a million students on 800 campuses, and the findings have been aggregated to create what is presently the largest national database on substance use in the higher education setting. The Core survey has often been used by campus health service personnel in assessment and programming efforts. This article describes the development and administration of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey and provides a sampling of findings from the 1989-1991 FIPSE drug prevention group. This cohort included 58,625 students who completed the survey. Findings regarding consumption patterns, consequences of use, underage drinking, and regional differences are delineated, along with information regarding the future direction of Core survey projects.

Average Weekly Alcohol Consumption: Drinking Percentiles for American College Students

Data obtained from 44,433 students who reported the average number of drinks they consumed per week in response to the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey at 105 college campuses between October 1994 and June 1996 are discussed. The majority of the students indicated that, on an average weekly basis, they consumed little or no alcohol. Forty-eight percent of the students at 2-year schools and 38% of the students at 4-year schools reported consuming no alcoholic drinks per week. When responses from these students were combined with those of students who consumed only one drink per week, the total included 50% of the students at 2-year and 51% of students at 4-year colleges. Approximately 10% of the students reported they consumed 15 or more drinks on an average weekly basis. The authors provide a detailed table showing the cumulative percentages of student drinking at various levels and offer suggestions for clinical and programmatic intervention.

Weapon Carrying and Substance Abuse Among College Students

Results from administering the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey on 61 US campuses during the 1994/95 academic year were analyzed to assess weapon carrying among college students. Seven percent of the 26,225 students (11.1% of the men and 4.3% of the women) responded that they had carried weapons (gun, knife, etc) during the last 30 days. A comparison with a matched sample of nonweapon carriers revealed that a greater percentage of the armed than the unarmed students had experienced harassment, violence, and threats of violence, and that they felt less safe on their campuses. The weapon-carrying men consumed significantly more alcohol than their unarmed counterparts, and a higher percentage reported binge drinking, use of other drugs, and adverse consequences from substance abuse. Differences between armed and unarmed female students were not as clearly consistent in terms of substance abuse and consequences.

Beyond Performance Enhancement: Polypharmacy among Collegiate Users of Steroids

The extremely low prevalence of steroid use among college students makes it virtually impossible to conduct analyses on any single college campus. By studying a cohort of 58,625 college students from 78 institutions that administered the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey in 1990 and 1991, a critical mass of 175 users on which it was possible to conduct statistical analyses was identified. Compared with a randomly selected group of nonusers, the steroid users reported consuming dramatically more alcohol and demonstrated higher rates of binge drinking. In addition, a significantly higher percentage of steroid users reported using tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, sedatives, hallucinogens, opiates, inhalants, and designer drugs. A higher percentage of steroid users than nonusers also reported experiencing negative consequences as a result of substance abuse, and a greater percentage of the steroid users reported family histories of abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Implications from the standpoint of student development are discussed.

An instrument to assess adolescent alcohol involvement

This study was the beginning of a validation process for the Presley Adolescent Alcohol Scale (PAAS). The instrument is intended for youth of ages 11 to 24 and involves six subscales: Quantity and Frequency of Use, School Functioning, Family Functioning, Social Functioning, Driving and Legal Functioning, Physical and Psychological Functioning. Items identify Use, Misuse, Problematic Use, and Dependency. Three groups of students in Southern Illinois were used (N = 216): high school students in grades 7 to 12 (N = 51), undergraduate students at Southern Illinois University (N = 129), and patients at an adolescent alcohol inpatient treatment center (N = 36). ANOVA showed a significant difference between these three groups (p < .0001). In general, results from the study supported initial validity and reliability for the PAAS.