Drinking Habits of First Year Athletes

Samantha Brown, Michael Cervantes, Paige Griffith, Anakin Hall, Bayley Monroe, Stephanie Wehr, & Dr. Sarah Cassella

INTRODUCTION METHODS RESULTS CONT’D

Underage binge drinking is a significant social problem. Previous PROCEDURE

research provides knowledge and explorations of studies In order to collect and analyze data, survey questions were
performed nationally across various college campuses, leading to created in order to collect information from various teams,
several trends in causes and the effects of drinking on college specifically focusing on first-year athletes. We sent the survey
campuses (2). Specifically, previous research has led to out to 70 first-year student athletes. The first-year athletes were
inclinations on underage drinking in first-year student athletes (1). asked a series of 13 multiple choice questions asking for
Despite existing research, little research investigates the specific reflection regarding their participation in underage drinking and
role that teammates play on the influence of peers consuming influences of underage drinking.
According to the data collected from the survey, 74% of
excessive amounts of alcohol. After analyzing previous literature, questions were created in
first-year athletes do not feel pressured to drink by their older
regards to what other researchers have demonstrated about the
teammates. However, 46% first-year athletes feel as if drinking
The purpose of this research is to investigate the role that possible harms and influences of first-year athletes and underage
is a part of their team’s culture.
teammates play in the decision of first-year athletes in excessive drinking. All of the first-year athletes were emailed the survey,
underage drinking. Specifically, expecting to see higher with explanation how to complete the given survey. Following
significance of peer-pressure rates in male first-year athletes than the completion of the surveys, data was collected and analyzed
female. in order to draw conclusions.
To convey information to the target group, a pamphlet was given
to discuss athlete specific disadvantages of alcohol misuse.

METHODS RESULTS
PARTICIPANTS
Post data collection, a pearson Chi-squared statistical tests was
For this particular experiment, the participants were both female
and male first-year athletes: ran to compare the different amount of peer-pressure rates Participants were asked to reflect on whether or not they felt
between male and female first-year athletes. that Loras or their athletic teams had effectively provided
education on the effects of alcohol. Approximately 71% of
participants recorded that yes, proper education had been
provided regarding alcohol awareness. Additionally, around
69% of participants recorded that there is no peer pressure
affiliated with team events and alcohol consumption.

DISCUSSION
Despite the assumption that teammates play a critical role in
first-year athletes deciding to underage drink, there was little
The Chi-squared statistical test was ran to determine the significance found. However, it is important to consider the
correlation between gender and peer-pressure rate. The tested limitations experienced during research. Specifically, there were
MATERIALS showed that there was a significant difference between the two 70 first-year athletes asked to participate, however only 35
The participants answered survey questions with either yes, no, or responses were recorded. Future research could explore a bigger
groups (pvalue = .006). We can conclude that the variables are
maybe. For example:
*Do you ever feel obligated to be at social team events involving not independent of each other and that there is a statistical sample size, as well as perform the study over a longer period of
alcohol? relationship between gender and peer-pressure rate. time. Additionally, further research could investigate the role of
*Have you ever felt like you would be excluded from the team if
you didn't drink with them? peer pressure in the responses of the participants.

1) Doumas, D. M., Haustveit, T., Coll, K. M. (2010). Reducing heavy drinking among first year intercollegiate athletes: A randomized controlled trial of web-based

REFERENCES normative feedback. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 22(3). doi: 10.1080/10413201003666454
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Loras’ First-Year Student Athletes and Loras College Athletics
2) Milroy, J. J., Orsini, M. M., Wyrick, D. L., Fearnow-Kenney, M., Kelly, S. E., & Burley, J. (2014). A National Study of the Reasons for Use and Non-Use of Alcohol
Among College Student-Athletes by Sex, Race, and NCAA Division. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education; Lansing, 58(3), 67–87.