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Notes that, although many convicted drinking driver programs use knowledge acquisition as their main objective, many convicted drinking drivers already have great deal of knowledge about effects of alcohol. Describes level of knowledge of 100 convicted drinking drivers and gives recommendations for more relevant programs and programs that have a greater likelihood of having impact. (Author/NB)

Examined Sunday ban on sales of alcohol in terms of its effects on incidence of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Both visual and statistical analyses supported the contention that the sales ban was effective in reducing the incidence of DUIs. Findings illustrate further extension of behavior analysis to the evaluation of public policy. (Author/NB)

Discusses services offered by Wellness Program at University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Provides some background on origin of sober housing program for students and investigates satisfaction level of student participants. Information presented can be used by administrators in establishing similar programs on other campuses and can serve as foundation for future studies of voluntary sober student housing. (NB)

Found alcohol expectancies that discriminated between problem- and non-problem-drinking college students (n=1,148). Expectancy profile that distinguished female problem drinkers from female nonproblem drinkers was relatively distinct from profile that separated these types of drinkers among men. Alcohol expectancy with strongest discriminating value among women was "arousal and power," for men it was "physical and social pleasure." (Author/NB)

Questioned 573 elementary students about alcohol/tobacco. Most said they would ask parents questions about alcohol and tobacco. Students were aware of reasons people used alcohol or tobacco but did not know harm involved in taking drugs. If offered beer or cigarettes, most said they would refuse. Noticeable increase in number who would accept occurred in grade five. (Author/NB)

Examined factors related to alcohol and other drug use among over 2,000 fraternity and sorority members. Found similar bases for alcohol and other drug use, including acceptability of inebriation and high school pattern of drinking. There tended to be more drug use among students with lower physical tolerance for alcohol than among those with higher tolerance. (Author/NB)

Surveyed 392 African-American and 1,173 white students in middle class, suburban high school. Compared to whites, African Americans reported drinking smaller quantities of alcohol less frequently, were more likely to be nondrinkers and to report never having been drunk; and were less likely to drive while drunk or to use alcohol for relief of pain, stress, or sleeplessness. (Author/NB)

Surveyed 526 on-campus college students about their reasons for drinking alcoholic beverages. Results indicated that students reported drinking because they liked the taste of alcohol and because drinking helped them celebrate special occasions. Negative or disintegrative reasons were endorsed rarely, and then usually by males, Greek organization members, and fraternity house residents. (Author/NB)

Examined effectiveness of public policies designed to curtail alcohol consumption by restricting physical availability of alcoholic beverages. Gave particular attention to impact of prohibiting concurrent sales of alcohol and gasoline at gasoline minimarts in California. Findings revealed that restriction on physical availability of alcohol had little or no effect on alcohol consumption and incidence of drunk driving. (Author/PVV)

Survey of 58 physicians revealed that they did not routinely ask their pregnant patients about alcohol consumption for several reasons: physician bias resulting from own abuse, lack of training, poor awareness of problem and effects, denial that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome occurs in private practice, time limitations, disinterest, fear of offending patient, and belief that patient will be dishonest. (Author/NB)

Examined college students' (n=113) knowledge of the strength of malt beverages, wines, fortified wines, and distilled spirits. Results indicated rates of correct responses were well below 50 percent for each type of beverage. Alcohol content of malt beverages tended to be less accurately estimated than other beverages. Women's estimates were less accurate than men's. (Author/ABL)

Although health consequences of alcohol consumption with certain drugs are generally appreciated, diversity of interactions is not. In addition to central nervous system depression, combination of alcohol with other drugs may result in hypoglycemic reactions, cardiovascular complications, and other severe or unanticipated reactions. Personnel directly involved with drug abuse intervention deserve greater access to comprehensive information on topic. (Author/NB)

Experimental study of medical examiners produced manner of death determinations from simulated cases to examine interexaminer variation in certification judgments. Found that experience, residence, and religious background of examiner were related to judgments as were victim characteristics of gender, medical cause of death, and the presence of alcohol. (Author/NB)

Investigated alcohol drinking habits of Jewish high school students from Kibbutzim and urban areas in Israel. Kibbutzim subjects (n=572) included 435 Kibbutzim-born students and 137 outsiders living in Kibbutzim. Kibbutzim-born youth showed highest rates of involvement with alcohol in Israel, and striking difference concerning rates of alcohol consumption was revealed between Kibbutzim-born and outsider groups. (Author/NB)

Assessed substance use and levels of perceived family cohesion and adaptability of high school freshmen (N=1,082). Found adolescents who perceived families as extreme on cohesion and adaptability were more prone than adolescents from balanced and midrange families to use substances. Found adolescents from extreme families especially vulnerable when family member perceived as having drinking problem (Author/CM)

Among 3,907 seventh-twelfth grade students in rural Illinois, ages at first use for alcohol, tobacco, and drugs were lower than national averages. Specific drug and alcohol education programs should be implemented before age of first use for 10 percent of students. Contains 20 references and 3 data tables. (SV)

Examined the differences in alcohol consumption and related problems among Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic college students. Results showed that Caucasians had significantly higher quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption than African Americans or Hispanics. Implications of these findings are discussed. (TE)

College students (n=234) completed questionnaires on social and psychological predictors of alcohol consumption and satisfaction as step toward creating nonalcoholic social activities. Among multiple factors affecting drinking were wanting to release emotional tension, wanting to meet new people, belonging to a fraternity or sorority, low academic performance, and low level of campus activity. (Author/NB)

Examined impact of psychosocial variables on drinking among 505 Black college students. Lack of social support was best predictor of drinking of hard alcoholic beverages among Black college males. Respondents who began drinking at younger age, had parents who approved of drinking, and had friends who drank were more likely to drink light and hard alcoholic beverages. (Author/NB)

Examined 5 reasons to avoid drug use and perceived harmfulness of marijuana and alcohol in 2,926 seventh, ninth, and eleventh graders. In latent variable analyses of each sex by grade grouping, avoidance reasons were only moderately related to harmfulness, whereas harmfulness was more negatively related to general drug use than was avoidance reasons factor. (Author/NB)

Examined drinking behavior of fraternity and sorority members relative to behavior of non-Greek undergraduates. Findings from 500 undergraduates, 158 of whom had participated regularly in fraternity or sorority activities, revealed that fraternity and sorority members drank significantly more than their independent peers, and that their perceptions of risks associated with alcohol-related behaviors were significantly lower. (Author/NB)

Multiple regression analyses of data from 449 children indicated statistically significant relationships between moderate levels of prenatal alcohol exposure and increased errors, increased latency, and increased total time on the Wisconsin Fine Motor Steadiness Battery and poorer balance on the Gross Motor Scale. (RH)

In 1973, the state of Minnesota passed legislation lowering the legal age of adulthood from 21 to 18; this gave 18-year olds the opportunity to legally consume alcoholic beverages. At the same time, the University of Minnesota made policy changes which enabled dormitory residents to consume alcoholic beverages in their rooms. To ascertain the effects of these changes, the University of Minnesota Technical College at Crookston surveyed dormitory residents regarding their alcohol and drug usage. For comparative purposes, surveys were conducted before and after the changes went into effect. Seventy-seven percent of the 1973 dormitory residents and fifty percent of the 1974 dormitory residents participated in the surveys. Results indicated that consumption of alcohol had not increased. Interviews with students brought forth the concept that 1974 students seemed to drink more for social purposes instead of drinking to get drunk. Student housing staff members claimed that there was less drinking and fewer problems related to the consumption of alcohol after the policy and legal changes. Student usage of marijuana and hard drugs also appeared to decrease slightly. (Author/DC)

Traces the history of alcohol use in the United States from the colonial period to the present. Discusses changes in public attitudes toward drinking. Explores attempts at prohibition, alcohol preferences, the relationship between alcohol consumption and economic prosperity, and the dichotomy of alcohol as a part of a European heritage that is also a destructive substance. (DK)

Most litigation involving college students' alcohol consumption and related accidents claims negligence on the part of institutions or their agents. General trends may be predicted from past state court decisions. Colleges and universities may wish to reexamine their policies with regard to consumption of alcohol by their students. (MLF)

Used two national surveys to compare campus alcohol policies, institutional self-reports, treatment and referral services, and prevention and educational efforts. Comparison of 165 institutions in 1979 and 236 in 1982 suggested that colleges were more active in 1982 in attempts to reduce alcohol abuse among students. (JAC)

Surveyed fraternity members from 41 colleges to examine drinking patterns among college students. Results showed 90 percent of college students reported drinking at social gatherings. Beer was the most popular beverage and grain alcohol the least popular. (JAC)

Examined drinking patterns in 256 graduate social work students. Results showed 218 used alcohol. Wine was the generally preferred beverage, despite age, sex, ethnic, and religious differences. Hispanics were the lightest drinkers. A substantial majority of the students wanted course work in alcoholism. (JAC)

Reviews the scope of the problem of college student alcohol abuse. Describes a comprehensive program of treatment of problem drinking, utilizing a behavioral group work approach focused on alcohol education, behavioral control of drinking, and the maintenance of altered behaviors. (Author/JAC)

Examines the history of alcoholic beverage advertising and the possible outcome of a constitutional challenge to laws that attempt to prohibit such ads from radio and television. (FL)