Identifier

etd-1109103-171900

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Human Ecology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The purpose this study was to investigate the relationship between alcohol advertising policies in the campus newspaper, The Reveille, and students’ reported consumption of alcohol. Students’ reported consumption of alcohol was assessed using the Harvard School of Public Health’s College Alcohol Study (CAS) for the years 1997, 1999, and 2000. Five variables were used: (a) How many times have you had five or more drinks in a row? (b) During the last two weeks, how many times have you had four drinks in row, (but no more than that?) (c) The last you had four or more drinks in row, how many drinks did you actually have? (d) On how many occasions have you had a drink of alcohol in the past 30 days? (e) In the past 30 days, how often did you drink enough to get drunk? Demographically, in all three sample years (1997, 1999, and 2000), the participants were similar. In terms of gender, more males than females responded (54.9% in 1997; 61.9% in 1999; and 60.1% in 2000). The students ranged from 18-25 years of age. The majority of the sample was white, single, Catholic, lived off campus, and had no Greek or athletic affiliation with the school. The findings from this study indicated that students’ consumption of alcohol may have increased following a change in the alcohol advertisement policy of the campus newspaper The Reveille. In 1999-2000, students who reported drinking four or more drinks in a row were likely to be influenced to drink by the presence of alcohol advertisements in The Reveille. The same held true for students who reported drinking alcohol within a 30 day period, and for the number of occasions students reported getting drunk. The causal link between alcohol advertising and consumer behavior is complex. Also, literature relating specifically to college students is not voluminous. Therefore, future research is needed in the area of alcohol advertising and its effects on alcohol consumption, particularly as it relates to college students, since high risk drinking appears to be a common characteristic among this group.

Date

2003

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

M.E. Betsy Garrison

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.673

Download

Included in

Human Ecology Commons

Share

COinS