Social context of drinking moderates associations between descriptive norms and alcohol consumption among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: The current study examined (1) differences in close friend drinking norms from pre-pandemic to during the pandemic, and (2) how COVID-19 social drinking contexts (in-person, virtual) moderated associations between during-pandemic close friend norms and consumption. Participants: Undergraduate students (N = 469; 75.5% female; 57.6% White) were recruited from a minority-serving university in the United States. Methods: Participants completed an online survey about pre-pandemic (retrospectively assessed) and during pandemic (Oct - Dec 2020) close friend descriptive drinking norms, pandemic-related social drinking contexts, and alcohol use. Results: Close friend drinking norms were higher during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. The association between close friend drinking frequency norms and alcohol consumption frequency was strongest among those reporting in-person pandemic drinking. Conclusions: Normative beliefs remain strong predictors of drinking behavior even when social contact may be limited, although social contact enhances these effects.