@article{ref1,
title="Overestimation of close friend drinking problems in the prediction of one's own drinking problems",
journal="Addictive behaviors",
year="2016",
author="Ecker, Anthony H. and Cohen, Alex S. and Buckner, Julia D.",
volume="64",
number="",
pages="107-110",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Overestimation of the amount that other students drink is related to alcohol-related problems. Although beliefs concerning students' friends tend to be stronger predictors of drinking than beliefs regarding students generally, little research has focused on overestimation of friends' drinking-related problems. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: Test hypotheses that students overestimate a close friend's drinking-related problems and that such overestimation would relate to more frequent drinking and related problems. <br><br>METHOD: Participant/Friend pairs (N=55) completed online measures of drinking-related beliefs and behaviors. <br><br>RESULTS: Participants overestimated the alcohol-related problem severity experienced by their friends. Greater overestimation of friends' problems was related to greater participant alcohol-related problems and binge drinking. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: Cognitive distortions regarding a friend's drinking-related behaviors may be useful therapeutic targets.<br><br>Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0306-4603",
doi="10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.08.038",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.08.038"
}