Variation in the drinking trajectories of freshmen college students

Paul E. Greenbaum, Frances K. Del Boca, Jack Darkes, Chen Pin Wang, Mark S. Goldman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

202 Scopus citations

Abstract

F. K. Del Boca, J. Darkes, P. E. Greenbaum, and M. S. Goldman (2004) examined temporal variations in drinking during the freshmen college year and the relationship of several risk factors to these variations. Here, using the same data, the authors investigate whether a single growth curve adequately characterizes the variability in individual drinking trajectories. Latent growth mixture modeling identified 5 drinking trajectory classes: light-stable, light-stable plus high holiday, medium-increasing, high-decreasing, and heavy-stable. In multivariate predictor analyses, gender (i.e., more women) and lower alcohol expectancies distinguished the light-stable class from other trajectories; only expectancies differentiated the high-decreasing from the heavy-stable and medium-increasing classes. These findings allow for improved identification of individuals at risk for developing problematic trajectories and for development of interventions tailored to specific drinker classes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)229-238
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of consulting and clinical psychology
Volume73
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2005
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Clinical Psychology

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