The Relationship between Perceived Drinking Norms and Alcohol Problems Among College Freshmen in South Korea: The Mediating Effects of Drinking Motives

Background: In South Korea’s collectivist culture, perceived drinking norms are crucial in predicting alcohol problems. Prior studies have demonstrated that drinking motives predict alcohol problems and mediate the association between perceived drinking norms and drinking problems (Halim et al., 2012), which this study examines in relation to Korean college freshmen.

Methods: In 2018, 238 college freshmen from five universities in the Chung-Cheong area participated in a survey using convenience sampling. This study assessed perceived drinking norms using a 5-point Likert scale comprising 11 items, with higher scores indicating a greater acceptance of drinking behavior. Alcohol problems were assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and drinking motives were measured with a validated scale (Shin & Han, 1999) for Koreans based on Cox and Klinger (1988, 1990). Mediation effects were analyzed using PROCESS Macro Model 4, and indirect effects were assessed using bootstrap estimating based on 5,000 bootstrap samples.

Results: Of the analyzed sample, 63.8% showed problem drinking (AUDIT ≥ 8), and 9.2% were identified as alcohol dependence. The average score for perceived drinking norms was 3.54 (SD = .9), and injunctive and descriptive norms were 2.78 (SD = .5) and 3.00 (SD = .7), respectively. The highest drinking motive was social (M = 3.5, SD = .8), and the lowest was conformity (M = 1.7, SD = .7). Drinking motives mediated the relationship between perceived drinking norms and alcohol problems. The total (β = .57, [CI .43–.72]), direct (β = .39, [CI .11–.26]), and indirect (β = .18, [CI .11–.26]) effects of drinking norms on alcohol problems were significant.

Implications: Previous research primarily focused on North American drinking motives, leading to a lack of understanding of how they differ from other cultures (Kuntsche et al., 2005). This study’s results emphasize understanding Korean college freshmen’s drinking patterns, promoting alcohol-free campus events, providing courses on addiction, and screening along with monitoring. Collaborations between college counseling centers, community mental health centers, and other stakeholders are required to promote the implementation of these suggestions.

References

Cox, W. M., & Klinger, E. (1988). A motivational model of alcohol use. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 97(2), 168–180.

Cox, W. M., & Klinger, E. (1990). Incentive motivation, affective change, and alcohol use: A model. In W. M. Cox (Ed.), Why people drink – Parameters of alcohol as a reinforcer (pp. 291–314). New York, NY: Gardner Press.

Halim, A., Hasking, P., & Allen, F. (2012). The role of social drinking motives in the relationship between social norms and alcohol consumption. Addictive Behaviors, 37(12), 1335–1341.

Kuntsche, E., Knibbe, R., Gmel, G., & Engels, R. (2005). Why do young people drink? A review of drinking motives. Clinical Psychology Review, 25(7), 841–861.

Shin, H. W., & Han. S. Y. (1999). A preliminary study for developing drinking motives scale. Korean Psychological Journal of Culture and Social Issues, 5(1), 77–92.