Johan Rosiers

Social motives for drinking in students should not be neglected in efforts to decrease problematic drinking

High heavy drinking prevalence persists in students. Recently, drinking motivation received a lot of attention as an important determinant. Enhancement and coping motives are mostly positively related and conformity motives are mostly negatively related with heavy drinking. Relations are less clear for social motives. This study aimed at gaining more insight in the role of drinking motives in heavy drinking students. Overall, 15 897 Belgian university and college students (mean age: 20.7, SD = 2.6) anonymously participated in an online survey. Logistic regressions tested relationships between motives and problematic drinking (>weekly drinking, ≥monthly binge drinking and being at risk for problematic drinking by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT]). Social motives had the highest prevalence, followed by enhancement, coping and conformity motives. Men engaged more in problematic drinking and reported more motives, except for coping. Enhancement, coping and social-motivated students have higher chances for problematic drinking, while the opposite is true for conformity-motivated students. Although this study found a similar ranking of motives as in other studies, a relationship between problematic drinking and all motives, including social motives, was revealed. This might indicate the different functions of social motives in heavy drinking in different cultures/sub-populations and countries. This finding is relevant for the development of interventions.

Consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs in university students in Belgium and the Netherlands: The role of living situation

UNLABELLED Studying at university/college is associated with consumption of tobacco, alcohol and recreational drugs. This lifestyle may be associated with moving outside parental control. The aim of this study was to investigate differences between students living with their parents and students living alone or with peers regarding substance use in Belgium (Antwerp) and The Netherlands (Amsterdam). METHOD The results of two separate surveys, one in Amsterdam (8,258 students) and one in Antwerp (27,210 students) were compared. Both questionnaires contained items about consumption of tobacco, alcohol and recreational drugs, and whether students considered their consumption as a problem and relevant confounders. Students living with their parents were compared with students living alone or with peers, using multivariate logistic regression analyses, separate for Antwerp and Amsterdam. RESULTS Consumption of tobacco was associated with living with peers. Similar patterns were shown for consumption of alcohol and recreational drugs. Living with peers rather than living with family or alone was a determinant of problematic substance use as well. Patterns were similar for both universities in two different countries. CONCLUSIONS Students living alone or with peers in Amsterdam and Antwerp may be at risk for problems concerning their consumption of recreational drugs. These findings may have implications for targeted prevention programs.

Changes in Drug Use Among Belgian Higher Education Students: A Comparison Between 2005, 2009, and 2013

ABSTRACT Background: Most drug users initiate illicit drug use during adolescence and young adulthood. Although in the general population a trend towards a decrease in drug use can be seen, patterns of drug use among students are unclear. Objectives: The objective of the study was to look at drug use patterns among students in higher education in Belgium. Methods: A survey study in Antwerp (Belgium) was conducted on three occasions (2005, 2009, and 2013) at several institutes for higher education. Students (total sample size 24,478; 29,210, and 31,950, respectively) were asked if they had used legal or illicit drugs in the past year. To compare whether drug use differed between the separate years, χ2-tests were performed on past-year drug use for all three time points. If significant, χ2-tests between pairs were performed. Gender and age differences were also analyzed. Results: The use of nondistilled alcohol, spirits, and cannabis decreased during this period but no change in students use patterns was seen for beer, wine, sedative hypnotics, stimulating medication, XTC, cocaine, or amphetamines. Tobacco use decreased initially, but increased in 2013. More men indicated having used drugs in the past year than women. Only for cannabis did more younger students indicate having used in the past year. Conclusions/Importance: The data from this study could provide valuable insights for academic and governmental bodies and health care professionals into the use of drugs by higher education students since this subgroup shows specific use patterns.

Context matters: Student-perceived binge drinking norms at faculty-level relate to binge drinking behavior in higher education

BACKGROUND Binge drinking in higher education is an important problem. To target binge drinking in students it is necessary to study the social context of students. Faculties (i.e., colleges or schools in Northern American education) are social contexts in which students behave, but little is known about how the faculty structure relates to monthly binge drinking. This study investigates the relationship with student-perceived binge drinking norms at faculty-level in addition to known personal determinants. METHODS Data were collected in 7181 students within 22 faculty-level units, using an anonymous online survey. Multilevel analyses were used to investigate the relationship of both individual-level determinants (e.g., perceived norms, social drinking motives) and student-perceived binge drinking norms at faculty-level on monthly binge drinking. RESULTS Two-third (62.2%) of the sample were female and the mean age was 21.06 (SD=2.85) years. In males, significant faculty-level variance in monthly binge drinking was found. At faculty-level, only same-sex student-perceived binge drinking norms showed a positive relationship (OR=2.581; 95%CI=[1.023,6.509]). At individual level, both opposite- and same-sex perceived binge drinking norms, and social drinking motives positively related to monthly binge drinking. In females, no significant faculty-level variance was found. Only individual-level determinants positively related to monthly binge drinking. No cross-level interactions were found. CONCLUSION Besides individual determinants, especially in men, faculties are relevant environmental structures and networks to take into account when targeting binge drinking in higher education.

Context matters: faculty norms on binge drinking relate to binge drinking behaviour in higher education

Background In higher education binge drinking is an important problem. To target binge drinking in students, studying the social context of students is necessary. Faculties are social contexts in which students behave, but little is known about how faculty binge drinking norms relate to monthly binge drinking. In this study, this relationship is investigated in addition to known personal determinants.

Middelengebruik onder Antwerpse studenten

SamenvattingIn 2005 werd in de Antwerpse studentengemeenschap een grootschalig onderzoek verricht naar het middelengebruik en daarmee samenhangende aspecten. Alhoewel er over het algemeen zeker geen dramatisch beeld mag worden geschetst, wijzen sommige bevindingen op risicogebruik bij een aantal studenten. Op grond van de onderzoeksresultaten doen we enkele suggesties op het vlak van preventie en hulpverlening waarbij de klemtoon, naast omgevingsgerichte maatregelen, ligt op informatieverstrekking en vroege interventie.