Distinguishing between Positive and Negative Social Bonding in Problem Drinking among College Students.

Abstract Background: To reduce problem drinking, interventions must be directed toward those factors associated with problem drinking. Purpose: This study examined how perceptions of the role of alcohol related to problem drinking among a convenience sample of 301 college students. Methods: Fifteen items concerned with drinking behavior or perceptions regarding the effects of alcohol and were subjected to factor and multiple regression analyses. Results: Three factors emerged: problem drinking, social bonding and sexual attractiveness. Adjusted multiple regression analysis by gender, using problem drinking as the dependent variable, indicated that for both males and females the perception that alcohol facilitates social bonding and the perception that alcohol enhances sexual attractiveness together accounted for a Significant (P<0.0001) amount of the variation in problem drinking (R2 = .312 for females and R2=.204 for males) with social bonding as the more important factor (R2 = .283 for females and R2 = ...