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The well-documented relationship between alcohol use and affective distress can be destructive, in many cases leading to negative physiological, social, and legal consequences. Binge drinking, defined as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration levels to 0.08 g/dL, typically reached after drinking more than 4 (for women) or 5 (for men) standard drinks in under two hours, is an increasingly popular activity, particularly among young people, and rates of binge drinking spike around the same time lifelong patterns of alcohol abuse are being established. Given the prominence of negative affect and associated constructs (i.e., repetitive negative thought, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety sensitivity, self-efficacy) in models of alcohol use, anxiety, and mood disorders, the present study examines the predictors and consequences of negative affect and associated constructs the day after binge drinking. Our primary aims were: (a) to determine the prevalence of negative affect the day after binge drinking in a large, undergraduate sample, and (b) to examine differences in negative affect, post-event processing, and negative perceived self-efficacy between individuals on days following binge drinking as compared to days following abstinence and to assess whether neuroticism moderated these differences. Secondary aims included examining predictors of situational avoidance, changes in alcohol use and negative affect, and psychological factors associated with neuroticism and increases in negative affect (i.e., alcohol-induced memory losses and intolerance of uncertainty, physical hangover symptoms and anxiety sensitivity). We hypothesized that types of negative affect (e.g., anxiety, depression, guilt) would be reported by 5% to 25% of the sample and that individuals in the binge group would report higher levels of state negative affect, post- event processing, and negative perceived self-efficacy in academic, social, and coping domains than individuals in the abstinence group. Further, we predicted that higher levels of neuroticism would be associated with higher levels of the outcome variables. Neuroticism was expected to moderate the main effect of group such that neuroticism would have a greater effect in the binge group than in the abstinence group. To these ends, the study was conducted in two parts: first, prevalence of negative affect the day after binge drinking was assessed in a large, undergraduate sample (N = 808). Then, a subsample (n = 139) was recruited to participate in a longitudinal, quasi- experimental examination in which participants were assessed at three time points: baseline, the day following either a night of binge drinking or a night of abstinence, and two weeks following their second assessment. In line with hypotheses, types of negative affect ranged in prevlance from 22.8% of the sample (Apathy) to 1.0% of the sample (Suicidal thoughts). In addition, negative affect, post-event processing, and negative perceived self-efficacy in academic, social, and coping domains were higher on days following binge drinking compared to days following abstinence. Of note, neuroticism did not moderate any of these relationships. Additional results and implications are discussed. / Psychology

Yes / Aims: Several studies funded by the UK government have been influential in understanding `binge drinking¿ rates in the UK. This analysis aims to establish consistency between results and clarify UK rates of binge drinking. Method: The relevant sections of these surveys were compared: the Scottish Health Survey (SHS) 1998, the General Household Survey (GHS) 2002 and the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2003. In addition the methodology used by the Health Protection Agency in the Adult Drinking Patterns in Northern Ireland (2003) was compared to the approach used by the SHS, GHS and HSE. Results: Marked differences were observed between the results of the GHS 2002 and both the SHS 1998 and the HSE 2002 despite each using a similar methodology, with the HSE 2003 reporting a rate of binge drinking in young males of 57%, and the GHS a rate of 35%. These difference may be largely attributed to variations in the criteria in binge drinking in each study. These differences in interpretation do not appear to have been acknowledged. Indeed several key alcohol harm reduction documents made inaccurate citations of previous surveys. Conclusion: The media rhetoric on escalating rates of binge drinking in the UK should be regarded with caution until trends are based on standardized recording and reporting .

Yes / Binge drinking has sparked considerable interest and concern. However despite this interest little is known about the lay understanding of binge drinking and whether there are differences in understanding by gender, age and level of deprivation. Aims: This study investigated the beliefs and attitudes of a sample in the Inverclyde area to binge drinking. Methods: Using both cluster and quota sampling, 586 subjects completed a structured interview, using open questions about their beliefs on binge drinking and was it a problem generally and locally. Findings: Definitions of binge drinking tended to concentrate on intoxication and some described a dependent drinking pattern. Causes and solutions offered were varied but pointed up levels of deprivation in respect of jobs and entertainment. More subjects regarded binge drinking as a problem in society than locally, which is consistent with research suggesting that misperceptions of others¿ drinking increases with social distance. Differences in beliefs were found by age and level of deprivation but not gender. It was marked that no subject offered the `official¿ definition of bingeing or even an approximation of it. Conclusions: Further research is required if future mass media campaigns and interventions are to be relevant to the population.

Cette thèse porte sur la forte alcoolisation ponctuelle des étudiantes irlandaises. Il s’agit en premier lieu de comprendre la progression récente de cette pratique en l’envisageant à partir d’échelles différentes : une perspective à la fois « macro » et comparative à l’aide d’une revue de littérature et une autre « micro », grâce à une recherche empirique qualitative. Celle-ci a été menée à partir de 40 entretiens individuels semi-directifs avec des étudiantes d’un même établissement. L’analyse de leurs perceptions quant à leurs pratiques, leurs prises de risque associées, leurs motivations et des facteurs socio-culturels facilitera l’élaboration de futurs programmes de prévention. Une philosophie de recherche de type écologique a été adoptée, suivant le principe que seule une approche multidisciplinaire permettrait une compréhension globale de ce fait social. Parmi les principaux résultats, nous retenons que la majorité des participantes irlandaises pratiquent le « binge drinking » de façon hebdomadaire. Ceci constitue un obstacle à leur socialisation avec celles d’origine étrangère qui, elles, ne s’y adonnent pas. Le « boire irlandais », en tant que revendication identitaire nationale, s’est en fait utilisé que comme prétexte par des étudiantes qui souhaitent avant tout reculer les échéances de la vie adulte en se cantonnant dans une « post-adolescence ». De plus, cette forme d’alcoolisation correspond moins à une quête d’égalité avec les garçons qu’à un désir de faciliter les rapports de séduction. Enfin, en buvant ainsi, elles cherchent davantage à s’affirmer comme jeunes que comme femmes ou Irlandaises. / This thesis focuses on the heavy episodic alcohol consumption of Irish female students. Firstly, it aims to understand the recent increase of this type of drinking by considering it from different perspectives. A macro and comparative analysis was provided by the literature review as well as a micro one through a qualitative research. Semi-guided individual interviews of 40 female students from the same third-level educational establishment were conducted. A research philosophy of an ecological nature was selected, following the principle that only a multi-disciplinary approach could provide an overall understanding of such a social fact. The key findings reveal that the majority of participants “binge drink » on average twice weekly. This represents an obstacle to their socialisation with female students from foreign origins, who tend not to drink heavily when they socialise. The “Irish drinking”, as a celebration of a national identity, is being used by many participants as an excuse. They try, in fact, to postpone as long as possible, adult roles and responsibilities by shutting themselves away in a “post-adolescence” period. Furthermore, for them, this type of alcohol consumption signifies less a search for equality with their male counterparts than a desire to interact with and seduce them. Finally, by drinking this way, they attempt to affirm themselves as youth rather than as women or Irish.

Thesis (M.A. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Binge drinking, crime and victimisation are increasingly being recognised as problems on university and college campuses. Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that can lead to anti-social behaviour among students. This can lead to a number of negative individual and social effects such as crime and victimisation. The key concepts, binge drinking, crime and victimisation during bashes are defined in relation to the Lifestyle Exposure Theory and Routine Activities Theory. This is done within the concepts of the theories and in particular motivated offenders, suitable targets, in the absence of a capable guardian. The aim of the study was to describe binge drinking and its resultant criminological outcomes during bashes at the University of Limpopo. A qualitative design was used in this study. The sampling method that was used to select the participants was nonprobability sampling and specifically snowball sampling. Data was collected until the saturation point, where no new information occurred. To analyse the data, thematic content analysis was used.

Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Laura A. Brannon / Self-monitoring was examined as a moderator of the effectiveness of persuasive messages for reducing college student binge drinking. Low self-monitors tend to be influenced by their personal values and attitudes, while high self-monitors tend to be influenced by the behavior of those around them. Via a website simulation, college students were presented with one of three types of anti-binge drinking messages: a self-schema message, which highlighted how responsible drinking is consistent with the message recipient’s personal values and attitudes; a social norms message, which explained that most college students drink less than one might think they do; or a control message, which stated in general terms that people can experience a variety of problems from binge drinking. Overall intended drinking behavior in the self-schema message condition was almost identical to that of the social norms message condition, both of which were lower than drinking intentions in the control message condition. When presented with a self-schema matched message, low self-monitors intended to drink less alcohol than did high self-monitors, but these means were not significantly different. However, high self-monitors intended to drink significantly less than did low self-monitors when presented with a social norms message. The results suggest that self-schema matched messages may be effective at reducing binge drinking for most students, and that social norms messages may be equally as effective but only for high self-monitors.

BACKGROUND: Various human and animal studies suggest that peak alcohol exposure during a binge episode, rather than total alcohol exposure, may determine fetal development. Research about the impact of binge drinking on birth outcomes is sparse and inconclusive. Data from the Born in Bradford cohort study were used to explore the impact of binge drinking on birth outcomes. METHODS: Interview-administered questionnaire data about the lifestyle and social characteristics of 10 851 pregnancies were linked to maternity and birth data. The impact of self-reported binge drinking (5 units: 40 g of pure alcohol) on two birth outcomes (small for gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth (<37 weeks)) was assessed using multivariate logistic regression models, while adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: The percentage of women classified as binge drinkers fell from 24.5% before pregnancy to 9% during the first trimester and 3.1% during the second trimester. There was a significant association between SGA birth and binge drinking (all categories combined; OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.47, p=0.01). No association was observed between moderate drinking and either birth outcome, or between binge drinking and preterm birth. CONCLUSIONS: Binge drinking during the second trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SGA birth. No association was found between any level of alcohol consumption and premature birth. This work supports previous research showing no association between SGA and low-alcohol exposure but adds to evidence of a dose-response relationship with significant risks observed at binge drinking levels.

Background: In 2012, 62,939 cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) were reported in the United States (US). During the same year, binge drinking (BD) cost the US nearly $250 billion. Currently there are 38 million Americans who participate in BD. Researchers have found a significant association between adults who experienced adverse childhood events (ACEs) and BD in adulthood. However, CSA and BD have yet to be investigated using a nationally representative study sample. Objective: This study seeks to investigate the association between CSA and BD among adults in the US. Methods: Data from 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to analyze a sample of 25,037 adult participants from states that included the ACE questionnaire in the survey. CSA components, including forced touched sexually, forced to touch sexually, and forced sex, were assessed in relation to BD. Covariates included parental alcoholism, parental substance abuse, parental depression, age, sex, income, race, education level, and marital status. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were conducted using SAS 9.4. Results: Approximately 17% of the study sample reported BD. Adults who had been touched forcefully during their childhood had around 2.18 times increased odds (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.18; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.97 – 2.41) of being involved in BD compared to those who did not have this experience. Being forced to touch sexually or forced to have sex during childhood was not significantly associated with BD and was not included in the adjusted model. Having parents who abused drugs (aOR 6.14; 95%CI: 5.56–6.79) and parents who were depressed (aOR: 3.35; 95%CI: 3.09-3.64) significantly increased the odds of BD among this population. Conclusion: Forced sexual touch was found to be significantly associated with BD. Further epidemiologic studies are necessary to determine if this is consistent in different years for the association between CSA and BD, since forced to touch sexually and forced sex were not found to impact BD in adults. The increased odds for BD from experiencing forced touch identifies a population where health education and awareness is vital to reduce the risk for BD in adults, thus reducing alcohol-related health problems and injuries. Health promotion campaigns for families affected by parental substance abuse and parental depression is also important to reduce the risk for BD among adults growing up with these experiences.

Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a public health concern due to the possible lifelong physical and cognitive effects in offspring. Prevention of alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEP) should begin preconceptionally, either by preventing unintended pregnancies or by discouraging alcohol consumption in women who are at-risk for pregnancy. The purpose of this dissertation is to utilize the Theory of Planned Behavior's construct of perceived behavioral control (PBC)--including perceived power and control beliefs--to guide the measurement and understanding of two behaviors related to AEP among non-pregnant women: birth control use and binge drinking. For the first specific aim--to estimate the prevalence of alcohol-exposed pregnancies--a secondary data analysis was conducted using surveillance data from North Dakota and South Dakota women who have had a child with FAS. The FAS prevalence estimates (per 1,000 live births) in both states (ND=0.8/1,000; SD=0.9/1,000) were found to be higher than that calculated from national averages (0.7/1,000) using a comparable surveillance methodology. The goal of Specific Aim 2 was to determine risk for AEP among a random group of women, while Specific Aim 3 determined the control beliefs and perceived power to using birth control and decreasing binge drinking levels, and Specific Aim 4 focused on relating PBC of these two behaviors to behavioral intentions. Data for aims 2-4 were derived from a mailed, cross-sectional survey of 190 non-pregnant women randomly chosen from an electronic health records system in the upper Midwest. Of the 190 women included in the analyses, eight (6.6%) were binge drinking while being at-risk for pregnancy (i.e., being sexually active but not always using an effective form of birth control) (Specific Aim 2). This is lower than national estimates. For Specific Aim 3, there were high direct PBC scores for both birth control and binge drinking, and there was a positive correlation between birth control direct and indirect scores (although a negative correlation between binge drinking direct and indirect scores). Finally, Specific Aim 4 uncovered high intentions to both use birth control and to not binge drink. Also, the direct birth control PBC measure was significantly associated with birth control intention when controlling for other variables, although neither PBC nor intention appeared to be associated with actual birth control behavior. For binge drinking, the intention score and the direct measure of PBC were significantly associated with one another; as well, the direct measure of PBC and intention were both significantly associated with actual binge drinking behavior. Therefore, the relationship between PBC and intention was validated for both behaviors, and the association between PBC, intention, and actual behavior was indicated for binge drinking. Overall, the study both supported and disagreed with previous research, indicating that additional research with this theory and topic matter is necessary.