Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2020
Publication Title
Addictive Behaviors
Volume
103
Abstract
Introduction: First-generation college students are those whose parents have not completed a four-year college degree. The current study addressed the lack of research on first-generation college students’ alcohol use by comparing the binge drinking trajectories of first-generation and continuing-generation students over their first three semesters. The dynamic influence of peer and parental social norms on students’ binge drinking frequencies were also examined. Methods: 1342 college students (n = 225 first-generation) at one private University completed online surveys. Group differences were examined at Time 1, and latent growth-curve models tested the association between first-generation status and social norms (peer descriptive, peer injunctive, parental injunctive) on binge drinking trajectories. Results: Overall, binge drinking frequency tended to decline over the first three semesters of college. After controlling for demographics, substance-free dormitory residence, parental alcohol problems and norms, first-generation status was associated with steeper declines in binge drinking frequency. During the first semester, the association between parental injunctive norms and binge drinking frequency was stronger for first-generation students than for continuing-generation students; this influence declined over time for first-generation students. The influence of peer descriptive norms on binge drinking increased for continuing-generation students; while this influence remained stable over time for first-generation students. Conclusions: First-generation student status appears to be protective against binge drinking. Substance-free dormitory residence, and perceived parental and peer norms likely play a role in first-generation students’ tendency to engage in binge drinking less often over the first year of college.
Recommended Citation
DiGuiseppi, Graham T.; Davis, Jordan P.; Meisel, Matthew K.; Clark, Melissa A.; Roberson, Mya L.; Ott, Miles Q.; and Barnett, Nancy P., "The Influence of Peer and Parental Norms on First-Generation College Students’ Binge Drinking Trajectories" (2020). Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/sds_facpubs/23
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106227
Rights
Licensed to Smith College and distributed CC-BY under the Smith College Faculty Open Access Policy.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Included in
Data Science Commons, Other Computer Sciences Commons, Statistics and Probability Commons
Comments
Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.