Dominic Conroy, Postdoctoral researcher, Birkbeck University. Alcohol Research UK Early Career Symposium 4. th. April 2017. Background. Young people in the UK engage in relatively high risk alcohol consumption. ID: 611987
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Benefits of social non-drinking identified by British university students: a mixed methods study
Dominic Conroy, Postdoctoral researcher, Birkbeck University
Alcohol Research UK Early Career Symposium 4
th
April 2017
Slide3Background
Young people in the UK engage in relatively high risk alcohol consumption
40% increase in #of 16-24 year
olds
who drink no alcohol at all [Office for National Statistics, 2015].
Challenges but also positives/benefits of non-drinking including more positive experience of self + enhanced feelings of choice (Conroy & de
Visser
, 2015), and possible personal well-being benefits (reduced anxiety) of not drinking (O’Hara et al., 2014).
Study aims:
Identify range of benefits of
social non-drinking
among young people
Explore whether/how identified benefits were associated with recent drinking history and psychological correlates of harmful drinking.
Slide4Method & sample
Mixed methods research design.
Secondary data analysis of 18-25 year student responses to mental imagery intervention designed to promote moderate drinking
Students were then asked to think about personally relevant short or longer-term benefits of social non-drinking and to record these as free-text responses.
Almost half of participants (
N =
237, 46.4%) had engaged in
social non-drinking
on one or more social occasions in the previous week.
Slide5Phase 1 – Template analysis
Free-text responses from 511 individuals, content suitable for qualitative analysis in 75 responses (14.6% overall dataset).
49 ♀ and 26 ♂ participants (
M.
age
= 20y,
M.
alc
prev
week= 18.1 units).
Template analysis = flexible analytic framework [King, 2004].
Four superordinate themes-
Improved physical and psychological health
Feeling more positive about who you are
Stronger friendships and peer relationships
Enjoying a more stable and prosperous life
Slide6
Stronger friendships and peer relationships (n = 245)
N =
Higher quality social bonds and commitments
101
Would have a clearer experience during the social occasion
47
Would be able to take a role looking after drinking friends
27
Would experience higher quality in-occasion social interaction
29
Would gain a more favourable view of who you are among peers and family
9
Would be able to enjoy time out socializing more
9
Would experience higher quality social interaction beyond the occasion
4
Would avoid negative social effects of hangovers
2
Clearer sense of boundaries between self and others and within group dynamic
85
Would evade drink-related social embarrassment or judgement from other people
78
Would feel good about not succumbing to peer pressure to drink alcohol
41
Would help reduce group expectations of heavy drinking during the social occasion
7
Able to explore wider range of social opportunities
24
Would be able to enjoy other social activities or hobbies (e.g. watching films)
17
Would be able to develop new friendships (incl. with non- /light-drinkers)
9
New perspective on alcohol consumption in social life
103
Would help me feel less dependent on alcohol for socializing
88
Would gain objective perspective on how alcohol influences social interactions
16
Would be able to enjoy drinking time when it happened more
4
Slide7Two illustrations
Able to explore wider range of social opportunities
Quote 10: Having in-depth, sober, conversations with a lot of
uni
friends who
i
only ever tend to see now when going for a night out, being sober may be better in these types of situations to make the most of the time that I do see them (F19)
New perspective on alcohol consumption in social life
Quote 14: Reminding myself that drinking too regularly cheapens more special nights out or events where you want to drink (M3)
Slide8Phase 2 – Quantitative analysis
361 female, 150 male students aged 18-25 years
Measures of
Recent drinking history
Intention to drink within government recommended levels
Descriptive norms/injunctive norms
Drink refusal self-efficacy
Among men only, more health-adherent drinking intention among individuals endorsing stronger friendships as a benefit of social non-drinking (β = 0.21, p = .006).
Slide9Discussion points
Policy link- taking dry days
Building young people’s ability to not drink in situation congruent with current medical recommendations on the importance of taking
regular alcohol-free days
as part of a more moderate approach to alcohol consumption (Department of Health, 2016).
Gain-framed message application?
personalized or generic ‘gains’ of social non-drinking (e.g., increased agency, higher quality social relationships) may encourage reduced alcohol consumption among university students. ?gains of social non-drinking might be easier to imagine/appeal than gains of moderate drinking.
Slide10Contact details
Abstract accepted for special issue of Drug & Alcohol Review on declining youth drinking
Dominic Conroy
de_conroy@hotmail.com
On
researchgate
Based in North London
Slide11
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