@article{ref1,
title="Pre-game drinking among young adults and its association with positive and negative alcohol consequences",
journal="Addictive behaviors",
year="2021",
author="Calhoun, Brian H. and Linden-Carmichael, Ashley N.",
volume="124",
number="",
pages="e107120-e107120",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Pre-gaming, or drinking before going out, is common among young adults and associated with heavier drinking and negative consequences. However, findings have been mixed as to whether a unique, day-level association between pre-gaming and negative consequences exists independent of alcohol intake. It is also unknown whether young adults experience more positive consequences of alcohol use on days they engage in pre-gaming. This study tested day-level associations between pre-gaming and positive and negative consequences, controlling for same-day alcohol intake, as well as whether these associations were moderated by person- and day-level variables. <br><br>METHODS: Participants were 148 young adult heavy drinkers (M(age) = 20.30, SD(age) = 1.45, 57.4% female) who reported past-month simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use. For up to 14 consecutive days, participants completed electronic surveys asking about their drinking behaviors and consequences the previous day. <br><br>RESULTS: Prior to adjusting for alcohol intake, Poisson multilevel models showed that participants reported more negative and positive consequences on days they pre-gamed and those who reported pre-gaming more often throughout the study also experienced more negative and positive consequences overall. After controlling for alcohol intake, a positive, day-level association between pre-gaming and positive consequences remained. There was no evidence of moderation of study associations by person- or day-level variables. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The unique association between pre-gaming and positive consequences may help explain why pre-gaming is linked with heavy drinking and other risky behaviors as positive consequences have been shown to reinforce such behaviors. <br><br>FINDINGS suggest pre-gaming may be a useful intervention point for alcohol reduction programs.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0306-4603",
doi="10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107120",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107120"
}