Self-Esteem and Problem Self-Esteem and Problem Drinking Among Male & Drinking Among Male & Female College StudentsFemale College Students

William R. Corbin, Lily D. McNair, William R. Corbin, Lily D. McNair, James CarterJames Carter

University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Journal of Alcohol and Drug Journal of Alcohol and Drug EducationEducation

Sara Fedson

TheoryTheory

To examine the relationship between To examine the relationship between level of alcohol consumption and level of alcohol consumption and self-esteem for college males and self-esteem for college males and females.females.

HypothesisHypothesis

A higher portion of males than females A higher portion of males than females would meet classification as potential would meet classification as potential problem drinkers.problem drinkers.

Gender was expected to moderate the relationship Gender was expected to moderate the relationship between alcohol consumption and self-esteem.between alcohol consumption and self-esteem.

More specifically, female problem drinkers were More specifically, female problem drinkers were expected to display significantly lower self-esteem expected to display significantly lower self-esteem than problem drinking males.than problem drinking males.

Theoretical Construct ITheoretical Construct I

Average alcohol consumptionAverage alcohol consumption Corresponding Operational DefinitionCorresponding Operational Definition

Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ)Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) Subjects asked to estimate average alcohol Subjects asked to estimate average alcohol

consumption for each day of the week in a consumption for each day of the week in a typical month.typical month.

DDQ is a shortened version of the Drinking DDQ is a shortened version of the Drinking Practices Questionnaire, which was Practices Questionnaire, which was developed to measure volume, quantity developed to measure volume, quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption.and frequency of alcohol consumption.

Theoretical Construct IITheoretical Construct II

Self-esteem levelSelf-esteem level Corresponding Operational DefinitionCorresponding Operational Definition

Rosenberg Self-Esteem ScaleRosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Commonly used 10-item scaleCommonly used 10-item scale Items were scored on a 5 point Likert type Items were scored on a 5 point Likert type

scale, with scores ranging from strongly scale, with scores ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree.agree to strongly disagree.

Possible scores ranged from 0 to 40 with Possible scores ranged from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher self-esteem.higher scores indicating higher self-esteem.

Independent VariableIndependent Variable

SexSex QualitativeQualitative 2 levels (Male & Female)2 levels (Male & Female)

Dependent VariableDependent Variable

Self-esteemSelf-esteem QuantitativeQuantitative The higher the score, the higher the The higher the score, the higher the

self-esteem (0 to 40)self-esteem (0 to 40)

Average weekly Average weekly consumptionconsumption

0 drinks (Abstinent)0 drinks (Abstinent)1-7 drinks (light)1-7 drinks (light)8-14 drinks (moderate)8-14 drinks (moderate)15-21 drinks (light heavy)15-21 drinks (light heavy)22-28 drinks (heavy)22-28 drinks (heavy)28+ drinks (very heavy)28+ drinks (very heavy)

Each subject was assigned to 1 of 3 groups based on the Each subject was assigned to 1 of 3 groups based on the original six levels.original six levels.

Groups were collapsed to allow comparisons between Groups were collapsed to allow comparisons between abstinent, moderate and potential problem drinkers.abstinent, moderate and potential problem drinkers.

Subjects consuming 15+ drinks (potential problem drinkers)Subjects consuming 15+ drinks (potential problem drinkers) Subjects consuming 1-14 drinks (moderate)Subjects consuming 1-14 drinks (moderate) Subjects consuming 0 drinks (abstinent)Subjects consuming 0 drinks (abstinent)

Various levels of consumption ranging from 12-17.5 drinks per Various levels of consumption ranging from 12-17.5 drinks per week have been identified as useful criterion to distinguish week have been identified as useful criterion to distinguish between problem and non-problem drinking.between problem and non-problem drinking.

Study and SubjectsStudy and Subjects

2x3 ANOVA2x3 ANOVA

Subjects:Subjects:

130 male & 130 female undergraduates130 male & 130 female undergraduates Participants were volunteers from the human Participants were volunteers from the human

research pool within the department of research pool within the department of psychology.psychology.

Subjects varied from 17 to 37 years of age.Subjects varied from 17 to 37 years of age. Over 90% falling between ages 18-22.Over 90% falling between ages 18-22. Less than 30% were of legal drinking age.Less than 30% were of legal drinking age.

Male

Female

Abstinent

Moderate Heavy

Drinking Levels

Sex

Number of male and female subjects falling in Number of male and female subjects falling in each of the original six drinking categories each of the original six drinking categories

based on average weekly consumptionbased on average weekly consumption

Number of male and female subjects Number of male and female subjects falling in collapsed categories based on falling in collapsed categories based on

original six drinker levelsoriginal six drinker levels

Frequency of Alcohol UseFrequency of Alcohol Use

The mean number of drinks consumed per The mean number of drinks consumed per week was 14.9 (SD=14.7) for the entire week was 14.9 (SD=14.7) for the entire sample. sample.

Over 67% of the sample reported Over 67% of the sample reported consuming alcohol in the range of 2 or 3 consuming alcohol in the range of 2 or 3 times per month to 3 or 4 times per week.times per month to 3 or 4 times per week.

39.2% of subjects met criterion as 39.2% of subjects met criterion as potential problem drinkers.potential problem drinkers.

12.7% of the total sample did not consume 12.7% of the total sample did not consume any alcoholic beverages.any alcoholic beverages.

Sex and Age Differences in Sex and Age Differences in Alcohol UseAlcohol Use

The percentages of males and females The percentages of males and females who consume alcohol were similar:who consume alcohol were similar: 86.1% males86.1% males 82.2% females82.2% females

Main differences were:Main differences were: 59.2% males consume 5 or 6 drinks on every 59.2% males consume 5 or 6 drinks on every

occasion and only 35.9% of females.occasion and only 35.9% of females. 51.5% of males and 26.4% of females met 51.5% of males and 26.4% of females met

criteria for potential problem drinking.criteria for potential problem drinking. Men consume nearly twice as much as Men consume nearly twice as much as

females.females. The mean for males was 18.9 (SD=16.9) drinks The mean for males was 18.9 (SD=16.9) drinks

per week and the mean for females was 10.7 per week and the mean for females was 10.7 (SD=10.8) drinks per week.(SD=10.8) drinks per week.

Self-esteem differences Self-esteem differences among groupsamong groups

A significant inverse interaction was found A significant inverse interaction was found between sex and level of consumption between sex and level of consumption (p<.05)(p<.05)

For males, as alcohol consumption For males, as alcohol consumption increased, self-esteem also increased. increased, self-esteem also increased.

For females, as alcohol consumption For females, as alcohol consumption increased, self-esteem decreased.increased, self-esteem decreased.

Abstinent females displayed significantly Abstinent females displayed significantly higher self-esteem than either moderate higher self-esteem than either moderate or heavy drinking females (p<.01)or heavy drinking females (p<.01)

Inverse interaction Inverse interaction between drinker level and between drinker level and

gender on self-esteemgender on self-esteem

Different patterns of self-esteem for Different patterns of self-esteem for males and females found in this males and females found in this study indicate that females may be study indicate that females may be at a greater risk for low self-esteem at a greater risk for low self-esteem associated with heavy alcohol associated with heavy alcohol consumption.consumption.

Results could be affected by the Results could be affected by the university setting, where heavy university setting, where heavy alcohol consumption may be alcohol consumption may be considerably more normative than in considerably more normative than in other lighter drinking populations.other lighter drinking populations.

On the daily drinking questionnaire it On the daily drinking questionnaire it did not specify what was considered did not specify what was considered one drink. Is one shot, one beer, one one drink. Is one shot, one beer, one glass of wine and one mixed drink all glass of wine and one mixed drink all considered to be one drink?considered to be one drink?

One drink for someone may be two One drink for someone may be two drinks for someone else. Need to drinks for someone else. Need to control for this.control for this.

This study helped clarify the This study helped clarify the relationship between drinking and relationship between drinking and self-esteem among male and female self-esteem among male and female college students.college students.