A national study on pregaming motives, frequency, consumption, and negative alcohol consequences among university students in the United States

Byron L Zamboanga; Jennifer E Merrill; Amie R Newins; Janine V Olthuis; Kathryne Van Hedger; Heidemarie Blumenthal; Su Yeong Kim; Timothy J Grigsby; Jessica K Perrotte; P Priscilla Lui; Dennis McChargue

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110839

A national study on pregaming motives, frequency, consumption, and negative alcohol consequences among university students in the United States

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023 Sep 1:250:110839. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110839. Epub 2023 Jun 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, United States. Electronic address: byronz@uark.edu.
² Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, United States. Electronic address: jennifer_merrill@brown.edu.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, United States.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Canada.
⁵ Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, United States.
⁷ Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, United States.
⁸ Department of Social and Behavioral Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, United States.
⁹ Department of Psychology, Texas State University, United States.
¹⁰ Department of Psychology, University of Washington, United States.
¹¹ Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States.

PMID: 37421905
PMCID: PMC10617372 (available on 2024-09-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110839

Abstract

Background: Pregaming, or drinking before going out, is a commonly practiced risky behavior. Drinking motives are well-established predictors of alcohol use and negative alcohol consequences. Given the influence of context on drinking practices, motives specific to pregaming may affect pregaming behaviors and outcomes above and beyond general drinking motives. Thus, we examined how pregaming motives are related to pregaming behaviors and negative alcohol consequences.

Methods: Using data from two national cross-sectional online studies, the current study included undergraduates who pregamed at least once in the past month (n=10,200, M_age=19.9, women=61%, white=73.6%; 119 U.S. universities). Participants completed assessments of demographics, general drinking motives, pregaming motives, pregaming frequency/consumption, and negative alcohol consequences. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear models accounting for nesting of participants within sites.

Results: When controlling for demographic factors and general drinking motives, interpersonal enhancement motives and intimate pursuit motives were positively associated with pregaming frequency, pregaming consumption, and negative alcohol consequences. Situational control motives were negatively associated with pregaming consumption and negative alcohol consequences. Barriers to consumption motives were negatively associated with pregaming frequency but positively associated with negative alcohol consequences.

Conclusions: Students who pregame to make the night more fun or to meet potential dating partners appear to be at particular risk for negative alcohol consequences. Motives may be modifiable, particularly via cognitive/behavioral strategies. Findings suggest that specific motives may be appropriate intervention targets when trying to reduce pregaming behaviors and negative alcohol consequences.

Keywords: Drinking motives; Predrinking; Pregaming; Pregaming motives; University students.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Alcohol Drinking
Alcohol Drinking in College*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Ethanol*
Female
Humans
Motivation
Students
United States / epidemiology
Universities

Substances

Ethanol

Grants and funding

K01 AA029473/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States