Do Changes in Parent-Student Phone Call and Text Message Communication During the Transition to College Predict First-Year Drinking and Consequences? A Prospective Study.

Objective: We examined (a) whether changes in parent-student phone call and text messaging communication during the transition into college are associated with alcohol use and related consequences, and (b) whether pre-matriculation drinking patterns predicted these changes in parent-student communication.

Method: First-year students ( = 246; age [] = 17.91 [0.39] years; 61.8% female) participated in a longitudinal survey study as a part of a larger study. Before matriculation (Time 0), participants reported their drinking and whether they experienced alcohol consequences in the past 30 days. Approximately 1 month into their first semester (Time 1), participants reported if the frequency of their calling and texting their parents had decreased, remained the same, or increased since the start of college. Drinking and consequences were then reassessed 4 months later (Time 2). Analytic models evaluated (a) whether a decrease in calling and texting parents, as reported by students (compared with an increase or no change), predicted drinking outcomes, and (b) whether pre-college drinking (compared with nondrinking) predicted changes in communication.

Results: Changes in phone calls and texting with mothers and fathers during the first month of college predicted alcohol use and consequences into the second semester. In addition, heavy drinking predicted lower odds of texting frequency with mothers staying the same or increasing.

Conclusions: This study underscores that consistent call or text communication with students during their transition into college could serve as a protective factor against alcohol risk. By closely monitoring such communication, parents may be better equipped to identify potential signs of risky drinking behavior in their first-year students.