Extreme Binge Drinking Among 12th Grade Students in the U.S

Alcohol use is a major public health problem in the U.S. Adolescent binge drinking, in particular, is associated with acute and long-term negative health consequences. Past research has defined binge drinking as 5 or more drinks in a row, although some adolescents drink to higher quantities. The objective of this paper is to examine the prevalence and predictors of 5+ binge drinking, in addition to the prevalence and predictors and of 10+ and 15+ extreme binge drinking among national samples of high school seniors. Data from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study from 2005-2011 (N = 16,330; i.e., the respondents for whom extreme binge drinking measures are available) will be used. MTF provides a nationally representative sample of high school seniors (modal age 18) in the U.S. each year, with response rates from 79-85%. Results show that between 2005 and 2011, 20.2% of high school seniors reported 5+ binge drinking, 10.5% reported 10+ extreme binge drinking, and 5.6% reported 15+ extreme binge drinking in the past two weeks. Rates of 5+ binge drinking and 10+ extreme binge drinking have declined somewhat across this historical time, although rates of 15+ extreme binge drinking have not changed. Students with college-educated parents were more likely to report 5+ binge drinking but less likely to report 15+ extreme binge drinking (with no difference by parental education on 10+ extreme binge drinking). Seniors from rural areas were more likely than those from suburban areas to report 15+ extreme binge drinking. Socializing with substance using peers, evenings out with friends, substance-related attitudes, and other substance use (cigarettes, marijuana) predicted all three levels of binge and extreme binge drinking. Binge drinking at the traditionally defined 5+ level is common among high school seniors in the U.S. In addition, a significant segment of students also reported extreme binge drinking, suggesting the importance of assessing higher levels of binge drinking behavior and its predictors among adolescents, as well as of targeting screening and intervention efforts toward those youth reporting extreme binge drinking behaviors.