Drinking in Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Abstract

There has been considerable research on the drinking rates of undergraduate college students. This research has consistently found high drinking rates among undergraduate samples. However, little of this research has been extended to also include samples of graduate students. It is, therefore, unknown whether the high drinking rates that characterize the undergraduate population are also found in the graduate population. The present paper addresses this gap in the literature, by reporting on a comparison of drinking rates between both an undergraduate and a graduate sample at New School University. The study measured both samples on five indices of drinking rates and frequency of negative consequences resulting from alcohol use. It was hypothesized that the undergraduate sample would report higher drinking rates, as well as greater frequency of negative consequences. However, where significant results were attained, it was the graduate sample that reported higher drinking rates. The implications of this finding are speculated upon. Secondarily, the current study attempted to replicate research demonstrating a relationship between gender and drinking rates, as well as grade point average (GPA) and drinking rates. In both cases, little or no relationship was found in the current sample between these variables and drinking rates. The implications of this finding are speculated upon, as well.