Alcohol and Regrettable Drinking-Related Social Behaviors
Table 1 provides demographic and behavioral data for the local and national samples. Results revealed that the samples differed significantly on several variables. The university sample (M age = 19.1, SD = 1.4) was significantly younger than the national sample (M age = 20.5, SD = 1.9) (unequal t(227.3) = 6.34; P < 0.001). Chi-square analyses showed a significant difference between samples in year in school (X(3) = 26.61, P < 0.001), with a greater number of upperclassmen being represented in the national sample. The university sample was also more likely to have engaged in regrettable social behaviors (X(1) = 6.10, P = 0.014). However, results showed no significant differences in weekly alcohol consumption (t(1) = −1.33, P = 0.185). Because the samples differed on several baseline characteristics, sample was entered as a covariate in all additional analyses.
Self-reported typical weekly alcohol consumption ranged from 1 to 85 drinks (M = 17.2, SD = 14.9). A square root transformation was used to reduce the effect of outliers and control for positive skew. The highest average reported alcohol consumption occurred on Friday (5.71 drinks) and Saturday (6.28 drinks). In the last 3 months, 156 participants (66.1%) reported engaging in one or more forms of regrettable social behaviors. Furthermore, 122 (51.7%) regretted an electronic communication (i.e. phone call, text, Facebook, etc.) and 98 (41.5%) regretted an in-person communication (i.e. saying something embarrassing, etc.). The most commonly reported regrettable social behavior was sending a text message, with 103 (43.6%) college students endorsing this behavior in the past 3 months.
Results of the mediation analyses are presented in Fig. 1. Consistent with previous findings, expectancy for sociability was significantly associated with alcohol consumption among college students, β = 0.35, B = 1.45, SE = 0.24, P < 0.001. Furthermore, there was a significant positive relationship between level of alcohol consumption and engagement in regrettable social behaviors, β = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.15–1.57, B = 0.30, SE = 0.08, P < 0.001. The total effect (c path) of expectancy for sociability on regrettable social behaviors was significant, β = 3.87, 95% CI: 2.09–7.17, B = 1.35, SE = 0.32, P < 0.001. Consistent with our study hypothesis, alcohol consumption mediated the relationship between expectancy for sociability and regrettable social behaviors. The direct effect (c' path) of expectancy for sociability on regrettable social behaviors was reduced by including the mediator in the model, though this relationship remained significant, β = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.40–5.06, B = 0.98, SE = 0.33, P < 0.001. This reduction was found to be significant as the indirect effect of the mediator was significantly different from zero (bias-corrected and accelerated 95% CI: lower limit = 0.176, upper limit = 0.739).
Results
Sample Differences
Table 1 provides demographic and behavioral data for the local and national samples. Results revealed that the samples differed significantly on several variables. The university sample (M age = 19.1, SD = 1.4) was significantly younger than the national sample (M age = 20.5, SD = 1.9) (unequal t(227.3) = 6.34; P < 0.001). Chi-square analyses showed a significant difference between samples in year in school (X(3) = 26.61, P < 0.001), with a greater number of upperclassmen being represented in the national sample. The university sample was also more likely to have engaged in regrettable social behaviors (X(1) = 6.10, P = 0.014). However, results showed no significant differences in weekly alcohol consumption (t(1) = −1.33, P = 0.185). Because the samples differed on several baseline characteristics, sample was entered as a covariate in all additional analyses.
Frequency of Drinking and Regrettable Social Behavior
Self-reported typical weekly alcohol consumption ranged from 1 to 85 drinks (M = 17.2, SD = 14.9). A square root transformation was used to reduce the effect of outliers and control for positive skew. The highest average reported alcohol consumption occurred on Friday (5.71 drinks) and Saturday (6.28 drinks). In the last 3 months, 156 participants (66.1%) reported engaging in one or more forms of regrettable social behaviors. Furthermore, 122 (51.7%) regretted an electronic communication (i.e. phone call, text, Facebook, etc.) and 98 (41.5%) regretted an in-person communication (i.e. saying something embarrassing, etc.). The most commonly reported regrettable social behavior was sending a text message, with 103 (43.6%) college students endorsing this behavior in the past 3 months.
Mediation Analysis
Results of the mediation analyses are presented in Fig. 1. Consistent with previous findings, expectancy for sociability was significantly associated with alcohol consumption among college students, β = 0.35, B = 1.45, SE = 0.24, P < 0.001. Furthermore, there was a significant positive relationship between level of alcohol consumption and engagement in regrettable social behaviors, β = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.15–1.57, B = 0.30, SE = 0.08, P < 0.001. The total effect (c path) of expectancy for sociability on regrettable social behaviors was significant, β = 3.87, 95% CI: 2.09–7.17, B = 1.35, SE = 0.32, P < 0.001. Consistent with our study hypothesis, alcohol consumption mediated the relationship between expectancy for sociability and regrettable social behaviors. The direct effect (c' path) of expectancy for sociability on regrettable social behaviors was reduced by including the mediator in the model, though this relationship remained significant, β = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.40–5.06, B = 0.98, SE = 0.33, P < 0.001. This reduction was found to be significant as the indirect effect of the mediator was significantly different from zero (bias-corrected and accelerated 95% CI: lower limit = 0.176, upper limit = 0.739).