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Binge Drinking Prevention:
Facts & Information

by David J. Hanson, Ph.D.

What is binge drinking, how serious is the problem, is binge drinking increasing, how can bingeing be reduced? A general overview is found at Binge Drinking.

Resources on “Binge Drinking”

Binge Drinking: A Serious Unrecognized Problem
Dr. Robert Chapman of La Salle University identifies a serious problem about binge drinking..

Many “Binge” Drinkers are Sober
A study of estimated blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of so-called binge drinkers using a survey of 500 young adults age 18-24 revealed that 63% of the "bingers" did not reach a BAC of .10% or higher and 48% did not reach a BAC of .08% or higher.

Responsible Drinkers are Bingers?
The New York Times has pointed out an important irony: some researchers define binge drinkers as college students who consume five (or even as few as four) drinks on an occasion. The same students are advised by health educators to be responsible drinkers by pacing themselves at no more than one drink per hour. But since students often attend social events for five or more hours at a time, that consumption rate would label them as bingers. Thus, careful students would be both responsible drinkers and bingers at the same time!

Bingeing Doesn’t Require Intoxication!
The major popularizer of the misleading term binge to refer to the consumption of five drinks (four for a woman) which may have occurred over the period of an entire day and evening, Henry Wechsler, has now acknowledged publicly that his definition of binging doesn't require that the "binger" be intoxicated.

Binge Drinking is Deceptive Term
Calling for a more accurate and realistic reporting of student alcohol consumption, the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues, a coalition of 21 higher education associations has issued a proclamation asking members of their associations, government agencies, and researchers to refrain from further use of the term "binge drinking" in describing student alcohol use.

College “Binge” Drinking Uncommon
It appears that fewer than one-half of one percent (00.05) of college students in the U.S. binge each year, as defined by physicians and other clinicians. That's the result of a telephone survey of college health service offices at a sample of 24 baccalaureate-granting institutions across the country.

“Binge” Drinking Drops
The percentage of U.S. adults age 18 and older who have consumed five or more alcoholic beverage drinks (beer, wine or distilled spirits -- liquor) in a single day at least once during the previous year has dropped.

College “Binge Drinking” Drops
Heavy episodic drinking (sometimes called “binge drinking”) is down 20 to 30 percent at the University of Washington and the proportion of abstainers has been going up, reports Dr. Alan Marlatt.

College Students Aren’t “Binge” Drinkers
Most college students generally don’t drink as much or as heavily as people think and the term “binge drinker” is inappropriately applied to them, according to Kent State University researchers.

Trivializing Binge Drinking
It's important to stop misleading the public by using the term "binge drinking" inappropriately. To continue to do so is irresponsible and trivializes the problem of true binge drinking.

Some Ways to Reduce “ Binge Drinking”

The social norms marketing technique has repeatedly proven effective in reducing the use and abuse of alcohol among young people. It’s based on the fact that the vast majority of youths greatly exaggerate in their minds the quantity and frequency of drinking among their peers. Therefore, they tend to drink -- or drink more -- than they would otherwise, in an effort to “fit in.”

When credible surveys demonstrate the actual, much lower drinking rates, and the results are widely publicized or “marketed” to this group, the imagined social pressure drops and so does youthful drinking. Study after study demonstrates that the technique works. What’s more, social norms programs cost very little to implement.

A Proven Way to Reduce Alcohol Abuse
In this interview, Dr. Wesley Perkins explains the social norms marketing approach.

The Social Norms Marketing Approach
Dr. H. Wesley Perkins, has edited The Social Norms Approach to Preventing School and College Substance Abuse: A Handbook for Educators, Counselors, and Clinicians, the contents of which are described.

Social Norms Marketing Handbook
Reports the publication of a comprehensive handbook for implementing the social norms marketing approach.

Social Norms Marketing is Highly Effective
The largest nationwide study of college students to date shows that social norms marketing is effective.

Social Norms Marketing Reduces High School Drinking
Social norms marketing is an effective method of reducing tobacco use and alcohol consumption among high school students.

Collegiate Alcohol Abuse Reduced
The entire University of California system uses the social norms marketing approach to reduce alcohol use and abuse effectively.

Social Norms Effectiveness
Presents an example of the effectiveness of a social norms campaign.

Social Norms Marketing: Some Criticisms
Examines some of the opposition to social norms marketing.

Another technique that has repeatedly proven effective in reducing alcohol use and abuse is known as Brief Intervention, typically as part of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS).

Brief Intervention Techniques
Brief Intervention Techniques, as well as why they are effective, are explained by program evaluation expert, Dr. Jason Kilmer.

Brief Intervention can Reduce College Alcohol Abuse
Brief interventions can be effective in cutting alcohol use by college students, and the methods used to deliver these interventions -- including e-mail and the Internet ­ may hold promise for other populations, researchers say.

Brief Intervention for Drinking Problems in Medical Settings
Brief intervention, which can be conducted in general health care settings, can help patients reduce risky drinking practices according to the federal National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Research on “Binge Drinking” and its Reduction

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The Attack on Campus Drinking (editorial), New York Times (9/27/99).

Baer, J. S., and Carney, M. M. Biases in the perceptions of the consequences of alcohol use among college students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 1993, 54, 54-60.

Baer, J. S., Stacy, A., and Lattimer, M. Biases in the perception of drinking norms among college students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 1991, 52, 580-586

Bien, T.H.; Miller, W.R.; and Tonigan, J.S. Brief interventions for alcohol problems: A review. Addiction, 88(3): 315-336, 1993.

Christiansen, Tom. Binge drinking dropping. The Daily (University of Washington), 3-9-04.

Baer, J. S., Marlatt, G. A., Kivlahan, D. R., Fromme, K., Larimer, M. E., & Williams, E. (1992). An experimental test of three methods of alcohol risk reduction with young adults. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50(6), 974-979.

DeJong, W. Reflections on social norms marketing. Catalyst, 2001, 6(3), 8 & 11.

DeJong, W. Language matters. Catalyst, 1998, 4(1), 5. (Discusses term “binge drinking”).

DeJong, W., and Linkenbach, J. Telling it like it is: Using social norms marketing campaigns to reduce student drinking. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 1999, 52(4), 13-16.

Dimeff, L.A., Baer, J.S., Kivlahan, D.R., & Marlatt, G.A. Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS). A Harm Reduction Approach. New York: Guilford Press, 1999.

Dimeff, L. A., et al. Binge drinking in college (letter). Journal of the American Medical Association, 1995, 273, 1903-1904.

Edwards, G.; Orford, J.; Egert, S.; Guthrie, S.; Hawker, A.; Hensman, C.; Mitcheson, M.; Oppenheimer, E.; and Taylor, C. Alcoholism: A controlled trial of "treatment" and "advice." Journal of Studies on Alcohol 38(5): 1004-1031, 1977.

Fleming, M.F.; Barry, K.L.; Manwell, L.B.; Johnson, K.; and London, R. Brief physician advice for problem alcohol drinkers: A randomized trial in community-based primary care practices. Journal of the American Medical Association 277(13): 1039-1045, 1997.

Foss, R.D. et al. BAC’s of University Students Returning Home at Night. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs, and Traffic Safety. Barlange, Sweden: Swedish National Road Administration, 2000, available at www.socialnorm.org.

Graham, A.W., and Fleming, M.S. Brief interventions. In: Graham, A.W.; Schultz, T.K.; and Wilford, B.B., eds. Principles of Addiction Medicine. 2d ed. Chevy Chase, MD: American Society of Addiction Medicine, Inc., 1998. Pp. 615-630.

Haines, Michael P. A Social Norms Approach to Preventing Binge Drinking at Colleges and Universities. Newton, Massachusetts: Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, 1996.

Haines, Michael P. Using media to change student norms and prevent alcohol abuse: A tested model. Oregon Higher Education Alcohol and Drug Newsletter, 1993, 1(2), 1-3.

Haines, Michael P., and Spear, A. F. Changing the perceptions of the norm: A strategy to decrease binge drinking among college students. Journal of American College Health, 1996, 45, 134-140.

Hanson, D. J. Telephone Survey of college Health Service Offices at 24 Colleges and Universities in the US., July-August, 2002.

Heather, N.; Campion, P.D.; Neville, R.G.; and Maccabe, D. Evaluation of a controlled drinking minimal intervention for problem drinkers in general practice (the DRAMS scheme). Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 37(301): 358-363, 1987.

Lange, J.E. and Voas, R.B. Defining binge drinking quantities through resulting blood alcohol concentration. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2001, 84, 508-518.

Johannessen, K., et al. A Practical Guide to Alcohol Abuse Prevention: A Campus Case Study in Implementing Social Norms and Environmental Management Approaches. Tucson, AZ: Campus Health Service, The University of Arizona, 1986.

Kivlahan, D. R., Marlatt, G. A., Fromme, K., Coppel, D. B., & Williams, E. (1990). Secondary prevention with college drinkers: Evaluation of an alcohol skills training program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58(6), 805-810.

Kristenson, H.; Öhlin, H.; Hultén-Nosslin, M. -B.; Trell, E.; and Hood, B. Identification and intervention of heavy drinking in middle-aged men: Results and follow-up of 24-60 months of long-term study with randomized controls. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 7(2): 203-209, 1983.

Linkenbach, J.W. Application of social norms marketing to a variety of health issues. Wellness Management, 1999, 15(3).

Linkenbach, J. W. Building a Bridge: Applying the Social Norms Model to Sexual Health. The BACCHUS & GAMMA Sexual Responsibility Manual, 1999. (Available from the Bacchus & Gamma Peer Education Network, www.bacchusgamma.org.

Linkenbach, J.W. Imaginary Peers and the Reign of Error: Binge Drinking Prevention Through Social Norms. The Prevention Connection: A Publication of the Montana Prevention Resource Center and the Addictive and Mental Disorders Division of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 1999, (3), 1-5.

Linkenbach, J.W. Social Norms Marketing Highlight: Drinking And Driving. In P. Kotler, N. Roberto, & N. Lee (Eds.), Social Marketing: Improving the Quality of Life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (2nd Edition, 2002, pp. 162-166)

Linkenbach, J.W. (2002). Social Norms. In P. Kotler, N. Roberto, & N. Lee (Eds.), Social Marketing: Improving the Quality of Life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (2nd edition, 2002)

Linkenbach, J. W. and H. W. Perkins, "Misperceptions of Peer Alcohol Norms in a Statewide Survey of Young Adults," (2003). In: Perkins, H. Wesley (ed) The Social Norms Approach To Preventing School And College Age Substance Abuse: A Handbook for Educators, Counselors, and Clinicians. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003.

Marlatt, G. A., Baer, J. S., & Larimer, M. E. (1995) Preventing alcohol abuse in college students: A harm reduction approach. In G. M. Boyd, J. Howard, & R. A. Zucker (Eds.), Alcohol Problems Among Adolescents (pp. 147-171). Hillsdale, NJ : L. Erlbaum Associates.

Marlatt, G. A., Baer, J. S., Kivlahan, D. R., Dimeff, L. A., Larimer, M. E., Quigley, L. A., Somers, J. M., & Williams, E. (1998). Screening and brief intervention for high-risk college student drinkers: Results from a two-year follow-up assessment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(4) 604-615.

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Miller, E., Kilmer, J.R., Kim, E.L., Weingardt, K.R., & Marlatt, G.A. (2001). Alcohol skills training for college students. In P.M. Monti, S.M. Colby, & T.A. O'Leary (eds.) Adolescents, Alcohol and Substance Abuse: Reaching Teens Through Brief Intervention. New York: Guilford Press.

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Perkins, H. Wesley (Ed.) The Social Norms Approach to Preventing School and College Age Substance Abuse: A Handbook for Educators, Counselors, and Clinicians. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003.

Perkins, H. Wesley. Social norms and the prevention of alcohol misuse in college contexts. Journal of Studies on Alcohol/Supplement No. 14, 2002.

Perkins, H. Wesley and Craig, David. A Multifaceted Social Norms Approach to Reduce High-Risk Drinking. Newton, MA: The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, Education Development Center, Inc., 2002.

Perkins, H.W., et al. Estimated blood alcohol levels reached by "binge" and "nonbinge" drinkers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2001, 15(4), 317-320, p. 319.

Perkins, H. Wesley, and Berkowiz, Alan D. Perceiving the community norms of alcohol use among students: Some research implications for campus alcohol education programming. International Journal of Addictions, 1986, 21, 961-976.

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Zimmerman, R. Social Marketing Strategies for Campus Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems. Newton, Massachusetts: The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, 1997.

 

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