The Utility of a Gender-Specific Definition of Binge Drinking on the AUDIT |
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| Authors: | Janine V. Olthuis BA Byron L. Zamboanga PhD Lindsay S. Ham PhD Kathryne Van Tyne BA |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Psychology , Dalhousie University , Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;2. Department of Psychology , Smith College , Northampton, Massachusetts;3. Department of Psychology , University of Arkansas , Fayetteville, Arkansas;4. Department of Psychology , Smith College , Northampton, Massachusetts;5. Department of Psychology , University of Chicago , Chicago, Illinois |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Objective: Although binge drinking is commonly defined as the consumption of at least 5 drinks in 1 sitting for men and 4 for women, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) defines binge drinking as the consumption of 6 or more drinks in 1 sitting for both men and women. This study examined the effect of using gender-specific binge drinking definitions on overall AUDIT scores. Participants: Participants were 331 college men and 1224 college women. Methods: Participants completed a self-report questionnaire, which included the AUDIT. Results: Findings showed that defining binge drinking as 4 or more drinks for women, rather than 6 or more, does impact their AUDIT scores and could affect the percentage of women classified as hazardous users. Among men, AUDIT scores were unaffected by the use of a gender-specific definition of binge drinking. Conclusions: Results suggest that the AUDIT might be underidentifying hazardous users among college women. |
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| Keywords: | AUDIT binge drinking college students gender hazardous alcohol use |
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