Party behaviors and characteristics and serial drunkenness among college students.

Objective: This study examined the relationships between party behaviors and social contextual factors for the largest party attended by college students and serial drunkenness by students over the 3 traditional weekend party days (Thursday-Saturday).

Method: On two separate 3-day party time periods in the spring of 2006, a random sample of 3,600 students from two large public universities completed a Web-based survey. The survey was administered on a Sunday evening and assessed alcohol consumption, party behaviors and observations, and other social contextual factors occurring during the 3 previous days. Serial drunkenness was measured as having gotten drunk on 0-3 days for the specified 3-day period for students who had attended one or more parties.

Results: Multivariate analysis indicated that serial drunkenness was associated with being white, being single without a partner, having ridden with a drinking driver over the weekend, drunken behaviors by other students at the largest party attended, the number of drinks the student consumed before attending the party, the number of drinks consumed at the largest party, and the number of friends that attended the party with the student. A lower frequency of serial drunkenness was associated with the perception that alcohol was difficult to obtain.

Conclusions: The availability of alcohol before and at the largest party attended over the weekend, attending the party with a larger number of friends, and drunken behaviors by other students at the party, plus riding with a drinking driver after the party, were associated with serial drunkenness over the 3-day period by the students at these two universities.