Influence of expectancies and peer group on drinking behavior in university students of the health area: a perspective of gender differences.

Author(s)

Alexandre Fachini

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2009-05-26

Examining board members

Erikson Felipe Furtado; Ana Maria Pimenta Carvalho

• Advisor: Erikson Felipe Furtado

Abstract

Recent evidences in scientific literature have indicated an increasing alcohol consumption in university students. Alcohol expectancies have been associated to the beginning and maintenance of drinking by young adults. Peer group is also a relevant aspect on young behavior, mainly on alcohol use. Both, alcohol expectancies and peer group can modulate drinking behavior of men and women by different pathways. This study aimed to evaluate gender differences of alcohol use, alcohol expectancies and peer relationship in university students of the health area. Observational, transversal study design on a convenience sample of 238 university students (105 men) from Medicine and Physiotherapy courses of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto of University of São Paulo. Students completed self-reported questionnaire, including AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), to evaluate alcohol use, AEQ-A (Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire - Adolescent Form), to evaluate alcohol expectancies, and DUSI (Drug Use Screening Inventory), to evaluate peer group. 92.1% of men and 81.2% of women declared to have drank alcohol in the last 12 months (X²=10.87; p=0.02). Men scored significantly higher on prevalence of problematic alcohol use and binge drinking (X²=8.13; p<0.01). Expectancies of positive global transformations (Z=-2.12; p=0.03) and sexual enhancement (Z=-2.76; p<0.01) associated to alcohol consumption were more evident in male. However, no gender differences on peer relationship was observed (Z=-1.67; p=0.09). Despite of increased alcohol use for both gender, male have presented a greater prevalence of alcohol use in the last 12 months, problematic alcohol use and binge drinking. Peer group may be a possible vulnerability factor on alcohol consumption, independent of gender. However, alcohol expectancies presented a positive correlation to alcohol use only in men. Results indicate that gender differences may have an important role for the development of more efficient strategies for alcohol abuse prevention. (AU)