Studying Abroad Increases Alcohol Consumption
Many college students enjoy spending a semester or two in another country. They pursue programs for studying abroad through their own university, and look forward to an experience that may be the highlight of their university experience. It may be possible to absorb customs of another country, learn a new language, and taste exotic cuisine.
Recent research, however, shows that the excursion abroad may be expanding another area of students’ experience in college. Alcohol consumption ramps up dramatically while U.S. students are overseas, according to a new study published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Washington. The researchers surveyed 177 students, who were abroad approximately three to five months. Two weeks before leaving the country and one month after returning, the students completed a survey about alcohol consumption.
The results of the survey showed that, on average, students doubled the amount of alcohol they drank while they were studying abroad. While they averaged four drinks per week in the U.S., the number jumped to eight while in another country.
When students returned to the U.S. and their own campuses, however, most of them generally consumed less alcohol and returned to consumption rates similar to those before they departed. There was one exception to this trend, according to a press release by the university. Students who drank the heaviest while overseas were more likely to drink more heavily when they returned than they did before they left.
The study’s results are important, because while there has been anecdotal observation of students going abroad and drinking heavily, it has not been measured in a scientific study. This is the first study to measure the drinking behaviors before, during and after a study abroad program departure.
The researchers caution that the study does not provide evidence that students are participating in binge drinking or other dangerous alcohol-related behaviors. In addition, the results may be partly influenced by different attitudes about drinking experienced in different countries. Students who studied in European countries, for instance, were found to drink more than students who traveled to Latin America.
The University of Washington researchers also indicate that the results may be due to drinking age laws. While the drinking age in the U.S. is 21, students may be taking advantage of different rules in different countries to consume more alcohol. While students over 21 doubled their drinking rate overseas, those under 21 tripled their alcohol consumption while abroad.
