An investigation of college student drinking behaviors and selected personality variables

Abstract

Past research had shown college trained professionals as having more tendencies toward drinking problems than other socioeconomic groups. This study attempted to determine whether or not significant relationships existed between the drinking behaviors of college students and selected personality factors. Instruments employed for this study included The Adjective Check List and Drinking Scale that was developed to classify the students into three drinking behavior groups: Problem Drinkers (PD), Non-problem Drinkers (NPD), and Non Drinkers (ND). Ten of the 23 factors of the ACL were utilized and included: Self-acceptance, Self-criticality, Self-control Endurance, Order, Change, Aggression, Autonomy, Liability, and Deference. Hypotheses were developed for each of the ten factors and five were found to be significant through analysis of variance. Those factors that were found significant were: Self-acceptance, Self-criticality, Self-control, Endurance, and Order. The Scheffe test was performed on the significant variables and it confirmed the author's hypotheses of predicted differences on all but one comparison. Problem Drinkers scored significantly lower than Nonproblem Drinkers and Non-drinkers on the following variables: Self-acceptance, Self-control, Endurance; and Order. Problem Drinkers scored significantly higher than Non-drinkers on the Self-criticality scale. No significant differences were found between the drinking behavior groups on the following variables: Change, Liability, Deference, Aggression, and Autonomy. The writer concluded that Problem Drinkers could be characterized as having low self-evaluation, and as being low in self-control, endurance, and order. These results were consistent with findings of other research related to alcoholics and problem drinking college students.