The impact of pregaming on subsequent blood alcohol concentrations: An event-level analysis

Abstract Pregaming has been highlighted as an especially deleterious college drinking ritual. The present study assessed (a) event-level associations between pregaming and biologic samples of blood alcohol concentration (BrAC) and (b) the impact of one's alcohol-related behaviors (measured by A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Addictive behaviors 2013-08, Vol.38 (8), p.2374-2377
Main Authors: Barry, Adam E, Stellefson, Michael L, Piazza-Gardner, Anna K, Chaney, Beth H, Dodd, Virginia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Adult
Alcohol
Alcohol Drinking - blood
Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology
Alcohol-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Blood alcohol concentration
Breath Tests
Drunkenness
Ethanol - blood
Ethnicity
Event-level
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Predrinking
Pregaming
Psychiatry
Regression analysis
Self Report
Students
Universities
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract Pregaming has been highlighted as an especially deleterious college drinking ritual. The present study assessed (a) event-level associations between pregaming and biologic samples of blood alcohol concentration (BrAC) and (b) the impact of one's alcohol-related behaviors (measured by AUDIT-C scores) on the likelihood that respondents would report pregaming prior to a night out drinking. The sample included adult (n = 1029; collegiate and non-college-affiliated) bar patrons in a southeastern college community. Multiple and linear regressions were conducted to determine the association between pregaming and BrAC levels, and pregaming and the presence of an alcohol use disorder, respectively. After controlling for the influence of time of data collection, gender, age, college student status, and ethnicity, the linear regression model explained 15.5% (R2 = .155) of the variance in BrAC levels (F (10, 915) = 16.838, p < 0.001), of which 10.8% was accounted for by self-reported pregaming alone. Furthermore, pregamers exhibited significantly higher BrACs compared to non-pregamers (β = .332, p < .001). Logistic regression analyses indicated that AUDIT-C scores were the only significant predictor of pregaming status (OR = 1.305, Wald = 64.843), such that respondents with higher AUDIT-C scores (B = 0.266) were more likely to pregame. This event-level study highlights the practice of pregaming as an insidious behavior associated with enhanced levels of drinking behavior and overall intoxication.
ISSN:0306-4603
1873-6327
DOI:10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.03.014