Citation

DeJong W, Dericco B, Schneider SK. J. Am. Coll. Health 2010; 58(4): 307-316.

Affiliation

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts Outside The Classroom, Inc., Needham, Massachusetts.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448480903380300

PMID

20159754

Abstract

Objectives: This exploratory study examined pre-event drinking, or pregaming, by US college students. Participants: 112 undergraduates from 10 Pennsylvania colleges participated. Method: A focus group, including a written questionnaire, was conducted at each institution. Results: Only 35.7% of the participants had not pregamed during the last 2 weeks. Pregamers consumed an average of 4.9 (SD = 3.1) drinks during their most recent session. Gender, class year, and other demographic variables did not predict pregaming. Heavier drinkers, and those stating that the average student pregamed 3+ times in the last 2 weeks, were more likely to report pregaming in the last 2 weeks. How much students drink when pregaming is influenced by how much they expect to drink later on. Conclusion: Pregaming presents a growing challenge for campus officials. Additional research is needed on the nature of the problem and which combination of prevention strategies might best address this behavior.

Language: en