Alcohol and energy drink use: College student drinking motives and perceived positive reinforcement

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to uncover differences in drinking motives and perceived positive reinforcements between students who drink only alcohol and those who combine alcohol and energy drinks. A convenience sample of 540 college students from four campuses at a Division-1 Midwestern University were used in this study. Participants were recruited by professors with knowledge of the study and were directed to a web-based survey where they answered questions on drinking quantity and frequency, drinking motives, perceived positive reinforcements, and demographic information. Independent and dependent t-tests were used to analyze differences between alcohol only and combined users as well as to uncover differences within the combined user group. Pearson product-moment correlations were also used to assess the relationship of quantity of drinks to perceived positive reinforcements within combined users when they drank alcohol only and when they combined.

Findings and Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that there are differences in both drinking motives and perceived positive reinforcements between college students who drink alcohol only and those who combine alcohol and energy drinks. Combined users scored higher on both drinking motives and perceived positive reinforcements than their alcohol only peers. Further analysis suggests that within combined users, they are more motivated and have more perceived positive reinforcements when they drink alcohol only compared to when they combine. No significant differences in gender were found. The amount of drinks a combined user drank was positively correlated with an increase in perceived positive consequences. These findings suggest that future alcohol education programs take these differences into account to become more effective.