Drinking norms: predictors of misperceptions among college students.

Objectives: To explore misperceptions and predictors of misperceptions of celebration and general drinking norms. Participants were traditional college students (N=214).

Methods: An online questionnaire was developed to assess personal drinking behavior and perceived drinking norms.

Results: Significant misperceptions exist among students regarding their perception of the drinking patterns and behaviors displayed by peers in general and during celebration events. Overestimation is more prevalent for celebration drinking than for drinking in general. The odds of being an overestimator are greater for out-of-state residents, frequent drinkers, and students with lower GPAs.

Conclusions: Effective strategies should be implemented to correct misperceptions.