The Hazardous Drinking Games Measure (HDGM): A multi-site implementation

Background: Drinking game participation has been associated with increased frequency and quantity of alcohol use, as well as alcohol-related problems, in college students. To date, the assessment of drinking games typically entails the use of self-developed measures of frequency of participation and amount of alcohol consumed while playing. Objectives: The Hazardous Drinking Games Measure (HDGM) is the first effort to create a comprehensive yet concise method of assessing drinking game participation. The HDGM assesses drinking during games, the specific types of drinking games played, and negative consequences experienced as a result of playing drinking games. Method: Data from three samples of college students (n = 1002) who completed the HDGM and other self-report questionnaires of drinking behaviors were used for exploratory analyses. Results: Exploratory analyses suggest that the HDGM adequately captures the nuances of drinking game participation in this population and demonstrates initial evidence of good content and criterion-related validity and test-retest reliability. However, the HDGM did not predict risky drinking above and beyond standard measures of drinks per week and alcohol-related problems in any samples. Conclusion: The HDGM may be useful for campuswide assessment of drinking games and as a source of game-specific feedback when integrated into campus prevention and intervention efforts.