Binge drinking in a sample of Scottish undergraduate students

This study investigated binge drinking in a sample of 62 undergraduate students at a Scottish university (48 female, 16 male) with a mean age of 20.9 years (SD = 2.3 years). Students completed questionnaires using the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and a further questionnaire 4 weeks later. Regression analyses found the TPB model predicted both intention to binge drink and actual binge drinking behaviour. Attitude towards binge drinking was a significant predictor of behavioural intention to binge drink. An additional variable, past behaviour, moderated the relationship between attitudes and intention, with attitude-intention relationships becoming weaker as frequency of past binge drinking behaviour increased. Health education focused on these TPB predictor variables is required to challenge the hard-drinking culture of Scottish undergraduate students.