Does one day of drinking matter? 21st birthday drinking predicts subsequent drinking and consequences.

OBJECTIVE: There has been ample research on college student risks and consequences related to 21st Birthday Drinking. To date, no studies we are aware of have examined how 21st birthday drinking impacts subsequent drinking and related consequences. This study evaluates the effect of a single night of drinking on peak drinking, heavy drinking, and negative consequences over 12months following the event. Furthermore, we examine if typical drinking behavior prior to 21st birthday moderates the relationship between the event drinking and subsequent use. METHOD: Participants included 599 college students (46% male) who intended to consume at least five/four drinks (men/women respectively) on their 21st birthday. Screening and baseline assessments were completed approximately four weeks before turning 21. A follow-up assessment was completed approximately one week after students' birthdays and every 3months for one year thereafter. RESULTS: Those who drank more on their 21st birthday, also reported higher peak consumption, increased likelihood of consequences, and increased number of consequences throughout the year. Additionally, baseline peak drinking moderated the relationship such that those who drank less at peak occasion prior to turning 21 showed the strongest effects of 21st BD drinking on subsequent consumption. CONCLUSIONS: 21st BD drinking could impact subsequent choices and problems related to alcohol. Interventions are warranted and implications discussed.

Understanding differences in alcohol consumption and depressed mood between U.S.- and foreign-born Asian and Caucasian college students.

The number and proportion of foreign-born individuals in the U.S. population has increased in recent decades. From 1970 to 2007, the foreign-born population more than tripled to approximately 37 million (U.S. Census Bureau, 1997 , 2008 ). Foreign-born students are a key subpopulation of college students. About 23% of U.S. undergraduate college students in 2007-2008 were either born outside of the United States (10%) or were children of at least one first-generation immigrant parent (13%; National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education [NCES], 2012 ). Asian students constitute the majority (30%) of foreign-born undergraduates. Although foreign-born Asian students compose nearly one-quarter of the college population, limited research has examined how rates of alcohol use and depression differ between foreign-born and U.S.-born Asian college students (Gonzalez, Reynolds, & Skewes, 2011 ; Ralston & Palfai, 2012 ). The limited research is worrisome given their increasing rates of college enrollment (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 ), alcohol consumption (Aud, Fox, & KewalRamani, 2010 ), alcohol abuse and dependence (Grant et al., 2004 ), and underutilization of mental health services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001 ). Collectively, these factors point to the need for further research tailored to Asian college drinkers.

College Students' Perceptions of Depressed Mood: Exploring Accuracy and Associations.

College is a time of high risk for depressed mood. Theories about depression (i.e. Cognitive Theory and Depressive Realism theory) are well researched, but suggest different venues of understanding the cognitive underpinnings of mood. In addition, much research is available about normative perceptions around substance use and how those perceptions relate to behaviors. However, there are no studies examining normative perceptions around depressed mood nor how these perceptions may relate to students' own well-being. Undergraduates (N=1577) ages 18-24 responded to an online survey as part of a larger study on drinking and depressed mood. The survey assessed symptoms of depression and feelings of sadness, depression and suicidal ideation experienced in the past 2 weeks, as well as students' perceptions of the prevalence of these feelings among other students. Rates of sadness and depression reported in the sample were relatively high; whereas rates of reported suicidal ideation were low. Most students under-estimated the prevalence of sadness and depression experienced by other students; a finding that was especially true for male students. Conversely, most students over-estimated the prevalence of suicidal ideation. Students who reported experiencing a given feeling in the past two weeks perceived greater rates of the feeling among other students. Depression symptoms were associated with both greater perceived prevalence of sadness, depression and suicidal ideation, as well as correct and over-estimates of the prevalence of sadness and depression. Implications for future directions in prevention and interventions efforts are discussed.

Brief web-based intervention for college students with comorbid risky alcohol use and depressed mood: does it work and for whom?

UNLABELLED: College is a time of increased risk for problematic alcohol use and depressed mood. The comorbidity of these conditions is well documented, but is less well understood, with few interventions designed to prevent or reduce the related consequences. The current study evaluated a web-based personalized intervention for students (N=311) who reported an AUDIT score of 8 or more, a BDI-II score of 14 or more, and reported drinking four (women) or five (men) or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month. METHOD: Invited participants were randomly selected from all enrolled undergraduates at a large, public, Pacific Northwestern University. Participants completed a screening and baseline assessment, and those who met study eligibility criteria were randomized to one of four conditions (alcohol only, depressed mood only, integrated, and referral-only control). Follow-up occurred one-month post-intervention. RESULTS: While no main effects for the interventions were found, there were moderation effects, such that students in the alcohol only and integrated conditions who had lower levels of depressed mood or alcohol-related problems at baseline showed greater reductions in alcohol-related problems at follow-up compared to students in the control condition. Implications for interventions are discussed.