An Examination of predictors of prospective changes in self-reported drinker identity and changes in drinker identity as a predictor of changes in alcohol use and associated consequences.

PURPOSE: Self-reported drinker identity, the extent to which one views oneself as a drinker, is associated with alcohol consumption and related harms in young adults. The current study examined changes in self-reported drinker identity, theoretically relevant factors associated with drinker identity development, and drinker identity's association with changes in drinking and alcohol-related consequences. We hypothesized that drinker identity would increase over time; theoretically relevant factors would be significantly and positively associated with that increase, and increases in drinking identity would be associated with elevated drinking and related consequences.

METHOD: Participants were 588 heavy-drinking college students (63 % female, 50.5 % White, Meanage = 19.87, from two universities) reporting recent heavy episodic drinking and experiencing alcohol-related consequences in the previous month. Students completed baseline and follow-up assessments at 1-, 3-, and 6-months related to theoretically relevant factors, drinker identity, and drinking/related consequences.

RESULTS

Using parallel process latent growth curve modeling, we examined changes in drinker identity as a function of initial levels and changes in theoretically relevant factors. We also examined changes in alcohol use and related consequences as a function of changes in drinker identity. Results indicated that a more favorable initial attitude toward heavy drinking and an increase in favorable attitude toward heavy drinking were associated with an increase in drinker identity. Overall, alcohol use and associated consequences diminished over time, but increases in drinker identity were associated with smaller reductions in alcohol outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the importance of attitudes as a potential contributing factor to drinker identity development, particularly among college students who drink heavily. This work further demonstrates a link between changes in drinker identity and changes in drinking and associated consequences. This work can inform future interventions aimed at targeting drinking identity.